Camera

ABSTRACT

A camera is provided which includes a camera exterior housing which covers the camera and which has an inclined surface. A first electric part and a second electric part are provided such that longitudinal directions thereof are parallel. A first end surface of the first electric part and a first end surface of the second electric part are disposed along an inner wall of the inclined surface of the exterior housing so as to form a step. In addition, a connector for connection of a flexible printed substrate is provided which includes a connector terminal array provided in a connector main body and a holding member which is adapted to switch between a holding position and a releasing position. The flexible printed substrate is insertable and removable with respect to a first side of the connector main body when the holding member is in the releasing position.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a divisional application of U.S. applicationSer. No. 10/417,411, filed Apr. 16, 2003 which is based upon and claimsthe benefit of priority from the prior Japanese Patent Application Nos.2002-116578, Apr. 18, 2002; No. 2002-139051, May 14, 2002; No.2002-148163, May 22, 2002; No. 2002-171593, Jun. 12, 2002; No.2002-171621, Jun. 12, 2002; No. 2002-171624, Jun. 12, 2002; No.2002-177048, Jun. 18, 2002; No. 2002-177432, Jun. 18, 2002; No.2002-226397, Aug. 2, 2002; and No. 2002-231983, Aug. 8, 2002.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a camera.

2. Description of the Related Art

In a related-art mounting technique of components employed in a camera,as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, sensor units such as an AF sensor 2 have, insome cases, heretofore been mounted directly on a substrate 4.

In this example, the AF sensor 2 is disposed in such a manner that asensor array including arranged pixels for light receiving elements (notshown) is disposed opposite to a subject as a ranging object. Moreover,in order to form a subject image, two light receiving lenses 2 a, 2 b infront of the sensor array are disposed apart from the sensor array by afocal distance f. When a predetermined parallax (distance interval) isgiven to these light receiving lenses 2 a, 2 b, a subject distance isobtained by a known “principle of triangular ranging” in a constitution.

The accuracy of the AF sensor is sometimes deteriorated by ambientenvironments such as temperature, and it has been necessary to devisevarious features in an implementation method.

For example, in Jpn. Pat. Appin. KOKAI Publication No. 2001-5061, atechnique is disclosed comprising: disposing insulation means between astrobe device and AF sensor to prevent ranging accuracy from beingdeteriorated by heat generated by the strobe device is disclosed.

On the other hand, in recent years, a sensor has been developed whichhas variously been improved and which includes a new structure. Forexample, in a structure shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, a part of the AFsensor 2 is sealed by a gelled material 6. Vent holes 8 a, 8 b areformed in the AF sensor in order to prevent an error from beingsuperimposed on breakage of the sensor itself or a sensor output, evenwhen the gelled material expands/contracts by a change of temperature orair pressure (details are described later).

Moreover, when a hard (print) substrate is held or superimposed on theFPC substrate, both multilayer and bend are realized, and connector-lessand three-dimensional arrangement of the substrate is possible. Aso-called “rigid flexible substrate” is brought in practical use.Furthermore, a technique has been brought in the practical use,comprising: using a flip chip bonding process to mount semiconductorelements (hereinafter referred to as bare chips) such as a CPU directlyon the printed substrate; and enhancing a mounting density.

That is, as shown in FIG. 4, rigid substrates 12 are held orsuperimposed on FPC substrates 10 to constitute rigid FPC substrates 14.Subsequently, a bare chip 16 is mounted (hereinafter referred to as theflip chip mounting) on the rigid substrate 12.

Furthermore, with miniaturization of an electronic apparatus, theminiaturization of an electric substrate including a built-in electriccircuit has been advanced, and various connectors for electricallyconnecting the electric substrates to one another have been provided.

For example, FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a state at a time whenan FPC substrate for connection is inserted into and connected to arelated-art vertical-type connector for connecting the FPC substrate.FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing appearance of a compact camera asone of electronic apparatuses to which the related-art vertical-typeconnector for connecting the FPC substrate shown in FIG. 5 is applied.FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along line C1-C1 of FIG. 6, showing theperiphery of the vertical-type printed substrate connector in the cameraof FIG. 6.

A related-art vertical-type connector for connecting the FPC substrate(hereinafter referred to as the FPC connector) 20 shown in FIG. 5 ismounted to be upright on a rigid substrate 22. A connection pattern isdisposed in a tip-end connection portion in an FPC substrate forconnection 24 inserted into and connected to the FPC connector 20.Furthermore, the tip-end connection portion includes a double structureincluding a reinforcing substrate 26 which prevents deformation at aninsertion time and which secures a contact pressure between theconnection pattern and connector-side connector terminal array.

When the FPC substrate 24 is connected to the FPC connector 20, theconnection-pattern surface is inserted from a direction B1 (substratevertical direction) crossing at right angles to an arrangement directionof the connector-side terminal array and brought into the connector-sideterminal array. Thereafter, a fixing member 20 a is pressed to fix theFPC substrate 24, and a connection state to connector-side connectorterminals is obtained.

As shown in FIG. 6, in a camera 30 to which the related-artvertical-type FPC connector 20 is applied, a photography lens 34, flashlight emitting window 36, and release operation button 38 are disposedin a camera front cover portion 32 a. On the other hand, an LCD displayportion 40, and mode setting switch buttons 42 are disposed in a cameraback cover portion 32 b.

Moreover, as shown in FIG. 7, the rigid substrate 22 is disposed underthe mode setting switch buttons 42. Electronic members 44 andvertical-type FPC connector 20 are mounted on the mounting surface ofthe rigid substrate 22. The FPC connector 20 is connected to an.FPCsubstrate for connection 46 for transmitting a control signal, a switchsignal output for setting a photographing mode, and the like to a mainsubstrate (not shown).

On the other hand, a related-art horizontal-type FPC connector 52 shownin FIG. 8 is mounted in parallel with the mounting surface of a rigidsubstrate 54. A connection pattern surface is also disposed in thetip-end connection portion of an FPC substrate for connection 56 whichis inserted/connected into the FPC connector 52. Moreover, the tip-endconnection portion includes a double structure to which a reinforcingsubstrate 58 is attached.

When the FPC substrate 56 is connected to the FPC connector 52, thesubstrate is pressed in from a direction B2 (substrate paralleldirection) crossing at right angles to an arrangement direction of theconnector terminal array, and brought in contact with the connectionpattern surface. Thereafter, a fixing member 52 a is pressed, fixed, andconnected.

Furthermore, as well known, in recent years, sophistication of thecamera has advanced with multiplication of functions. As a result, amounted electric circuit is complicated. Also for a main condenser foremitting a flash light which is incorporated in the camera including aflash light emitting device, enlargement of a capacity has advanced soas to obtain a high-luminance flash light emitting device.

On the other hand, the miniaturization of a camera body housing in whichthe condenser for emitting the flash light is incorporated has advanced.However, with the advance of capacity enlargement of the condenser, avolume of the condenser has accordingly increased. Therefore, there is aproblem that it is difficult to mount a large-volume condenser in theminiaturized camera.

To solve the problem, for example, in Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI PublicationNo. 7-225422, the following method of efficiently disposing thelarge-capacity condenser in the camera is disclosed. That is, twocondensers are used, one condenser is disposed in a hollow portion in aspool for winding up a film, and the other condenser is disposed along aspool chamber wall. By this technique, the condenser which saves spaceand which has a large volume can be mounted.

Moreover, there are many relatively large components such as thecondenser for the flash light emitting device and a transformer, whichhandle a high voltage. Therefore, it is difficult to dispose thesecomponents in a small-sized camera. It is also difficult to mount thesecomponents on the printed substrate in the camera. As a result, it hasbeen difficult to miniaturize the camera including the flash lightemitting device because of the above-described large-sized components.

To solve the difficulty, a technique of disposing the components of theabove-described flash light emitting device in a spaced formed inaccordance with a film chamber for containing the film is disclosed, forexample, in Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 9-160181.

Moreover, in recent years, the following type of a display portion fordisplaying a photographing mode or date of the camera has increased.That is, examples of this include a camera including a liquid crystal.panel, and a camera which reads film sensitivity information by anelectrode pattern disposed in a cartridge portion of a film, so-called“DX code” to control exposure in accordance with the read information.

The liquid crystal panel is disposed on the upper surface of the camerain many cases. A contact for reading the DX code by the camera isdisposed on a front-surface side in the camera in accordance with aposition of a film cartridge in many cases. Therefore, to mount thesecomponents on the printed substrate, two printed substrates areprepared, and the printed substrates on which the liquid crystal panelsare mounted are disposed on the upper-surface side in the camera.Moreover, the printed substrate on which the contact for reading the DXcode is mounted is disposed on the front-surface side in the camera inmany cases.

That is, to miniaturize the camera or to reduce the cost, the respectivecomponents of the camera need to be efficiently disposed on the twoprinted substrates. When the printed substrate is simply enlarged, thearrangement of the components is simplified, but the cost increases. Onthe other hand, when the printed substrate is simply miniaturized, thecost can be reduced, but it is difficult to efficiently arrange thecomponents.

Particularly, the components relating to the flash light emitting deviceinclude many large-sized components. Since the components handle thehigh voltage, these easily become sources of noises. Therefore, it isimportant to more appropriately arrange the components relating to theflash light emitting device.

Furthermore, a camera including the condenser for the flash lightemitting device is disclosed, for example, in Jap. Pat. No. 3218768. Inthe camera disclosed in this publication, two cameras for emitting theflash light are arranged at a predetermined interval in an internalspace of the camera, and a charge capacity necessary for emitting theflash light is secured. Moreover, a hard electric circuit substrate onwhich a plurality of electric components are mounted is disposed andconstituted in a space formed between two cameras, and thereby aninternal space is effectively used. Furthermore, in this case, theelectric circuit substrate is engaged with and fixed to another electriccircuit substrate which is disposed on the upper-surface side of thecamera.

Moreover, when electric components such as a motor including a lead as aconnector terminal are mounted on the electric substrate, agroove-shaped terminal insertion hole for inserting the lead issometimes disposed in the substrate. In this case, when the terminalinsertion hole is formed in a circular arc shape, it is easily toposition the connector terminal of the electric component with referenceto the connection portion on the electric substrate. However, when asolder land is formed around the terminal insertion hole to solder thecomponent, much time is required form the soldering. Therefore, aproposal for shortening the soldering time in forming the terminalinsertion hole is disclosed in Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No.1-230931.

The technique disclosed in the Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No.1-230931 comprises: forming the groove-shaped terminal insertion holefor inserting the lead in the electric substrate; and dividing a solderpad disposed along the outer periphery of the terminal insertion holeinto a plurality of regions at intervals for boundary slits. In each ofthese divided regions, the solder pad can be molted in a short time andwith a small heat capacity. Therefore, the soldering operation can beended in the short time, and a possibility of failure in solderconnection can also be reduced.

Furthermore, in the electronic apparatus, there is a constitution inwhich an internal apparatus is contained/disposed in an apparatushousing, and a battery contained in a battery containing chamberdisposed in the apparatus housing is used as a driving source to controlthe operation of the internal apparatus. In the electronic apparatus, acontact piece for a cathode for contacting the cathode of the battery,and a contact piece for an anode for contacting the anode of the batteryare separately disposed in the battery containing chamber, and a powerof the battery contained in the battery containing chamber is suppliedto the internal apparatus via the contact piece for the cathode and thecontact piece for the anode.

Additionally, a manufacturing method of the electronic apparatuscomprises: preparing a large number of constituting componentsbeforehand; and assembling the constituting components into theapparatus housing in order. Therefore, when the electronic apparatus ismanufactured, it is very intricate to store/manage a large number ofconstituting components.

Especially, there is a battery contact piece as an object of theconstituting component whose storage/management is intricate. For thebattery contact piece, the contact piece for the cathode and the contactpiece for the anode forming a pair are disposed in the batterycontaining chamber of the apparatus housing. Therefore, a very largenumber of contact pieces are disposed.

Accordingly, for the battery contact pieces, there is a possibility thatthe numbers of the contact piece for the cathode and the contact piecefor the anode constituting the pair are not matched, and thestorage/management is very intricate.

Furthermore, in a small-sized electric apparatus in which the FPCsubstrate is incorporated, if possible, a single FPC substrate isapplied in order to reduce the connection of lead wires and to simplifythe handling of the FPC substrate. When the FPC substrate isincorporated in an apparatus main body, it is necessary to shape andincorporate the FPC substrate in accordance with the shape of theapparatus main body. Therefore, the substrate is not easilyincorporated. In some cases, there is fear that the FPC substrate iscaught and broken by another member.

To solve the problem, for example, in Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI PublicationNo. 54-93455, a proposal relating to a printed wiring board structurefor mounting the small-sized electronic apparatus is described in whichthe FPC substrate is formed in a box shape and incorporated into theapparatus. In this related-art printed wiring board structure, the rigidsubstrate is attached to the FPC substrate, the rigid substrate and FPCsubstrate are simultaneously bent along a fold line disposed in therigid substrate, and thereby the FPC substrate is shaped in apredetermined box shape. Since the FPC substrate shaped in the box shapeand the rigid substrate are incorporated into the apparatus main body,there is no wobble of the FPC substrate at an assembly time, and it iseasy to assemble to the substrate.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provideda camera comprising:

-   -   a sensor unit which measures a distance to a subject;    -   the sensor unit comprising:        -   a photoelectric conversion element;        -   a housing with which the photoelectric conversion element is            covered and in which a first through hole is formed in a            predetermined position; and        -   an electric substrate which is electrically connected to the            photoelectric conversion element and in which a second            through hole is formed in the predetermined position,    -   wherein the second through hole formed in the electric substrate        is disposed opposite to the first through hole formed in the        housing in a state in which the electric substrate is        electrically connected to the photoelectric conversion element.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is providedan electric substrate on which a sensor unit is to be mounted,comprising:

-   -   a mounting portion on which the sensor unit is mounted and in        which a through hole is formed in a predetermined position; and    -   a land for sensor unit connection, which is formed in the        mounting portion,    -   wherein the through hole is disposed opposite to an opening        formed in a housing of the sensor unit.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provideda camera including an electric substrate, comprising:

-   -   a flexible substrate;    -   a rigid substrate which is superimposed on the flexible        substrate and which is formed integrally with the flexible        substrate and which includes an opening in a predetermined        position;    -   an exposed portion which is exposed from the opening on the        flexible substrate; and    -   a semiconductor element which is flip-chip-mounted on the        exposed portion.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provideda camera including an electric substrate, comprising:

-   -   a flexible substrate;    -   a rigid substrate which is superimposed on the flexible printed        substrate and which is formed integrally with the flexible        substrate and which includes a cutout portion in an end;    -   an exposed portion which is formed in the flexible substrate and        which is exposed from the cutout portion;    -   an extended portion which is formed in the flexible substrate        and which is extended from the exposed portion;    -   an electric component connected to the extended portion; and    -   a semiconductor element which is flip-chip-mounted on the        exposed portion.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provideda camera comprising:

-   -   a first electric substrate;    -   a second electric substrate; and    -   a connector for connection, which is disposed on the first        electric substrate and in which the second electric substrate is        inserted,    -   the connector for connection, including:        -   a connector terminal array including a plurality of            connector terminals which are electrically connected to the            second electric substrate,        -   wherein the second electric substrate is insertable in the            connector for connection along an arrangement direction of            the connector terminal array.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provideda camera comprising:

-   -   a plurality of condensers disposed in parallel with one another        with respect to a longitudinal direction; and    -   a camera exterior housing in which camera constituting        components including the plurality of condensers are built in,    -   wherein the camera exterior housing includes an inclined        surface, and a one-end surface of each of the plurality of        condensers is disposed with a step along an inner wall of the        inclined surface.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, there isprovided a camera comprising:

-   -   a first printed substrate on which a circuit is mounted to        control a photography sequence of the camera; and    -   a second printed substrate on which a discharge emission tube        for flash, and a condenser to charge the discharge emission tube        and to allow the discharge emission tube to discharge        electricity/emit light are mounted,    -   wherein the first printed substrate is electrically connected to        the second printed substrate via a lead member which forms an        electrode of the condenser.

According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, there isprovided a camera comprising:

-   -   a photography lens which photographs a subject;    -   a cartridge chamber in which a film cartridge is loaded;    -   a spool chamber in which a film is wound and contained;    -   a transformer disposed in a space portion between one of the        cartridge chamber and the spool chamber, and the photography        lens;    -   a condenser which is disposed in the space portion between the        other of the cartridge chamber and the spool chamber, and the        photography lens and which is charged by the transformer;    -   a printed substrate on which the transformer and condenser are        mounted; and    -   an arm portion disposed integrally with the printed substrate        and extended to a side on which the condenser is mounted from a        side on which the transformer is mounted,    -   wherein an electrode portion of the condenser is mounted on the        arm portion.

According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, there is provideda camera comprising:

-   -   a first printed substrate including a circuit which controls a        photography sequence of the camera, and a display device which        displays photography information of the camera, the first        printed substrate being disposed on an upper-surface side in the        camera;    -   a second printed substrate including a discharge emission tube        for flash, and a circuit in which an energy is stored to allow        the discharge emission tube to discharge electricity/emit light,        the second printed substrate being disposed in a front surface        unit on a grip side in the camera; and    -   a trigger circuit which is disposed on the first printed        substrate and which allows the discharge emission tube to        discharge electricity/emit light,    -   wherein the trigger circuit is disposed in such a manner that a        distance between the trigger circuit and the discharge emission        tube mounted on the second printed substrate is short.

According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, there is provideda camera comprising:

-   -   a first printed substrate disposed on an upper-surface side in        the camera;    -   a second printed substrate disposed on a front-surface side in        the camera;    -   a condenser for flash charge, which includes a lead member to        form an electrode of the condenser;    -   a first switch pattern which is disposed in the first printed        substrate and which is connected to a first switch;    -   a first connection pattern which is disposed in the first        printed substrate and which is connected to a display device of        the camera;    -   a second switch pattern which is disposed in the second printed        substrate and which is connected to a second switch different        from the first switch; and    -   a second connection pattern which is disposed in the second        printed substrate and which is connected to the lead member.

According to an eleventh aspect of the present invention, there isprovided a camera comprising:

-   -   a cartridge chamber in which a film cartridge is loaded;    -   a spool chamber in which a film is wound;    -   a photography lens which photographs a subject;    -   a condenser which includes a discharge emission tube for flash        and in which an energy is stored to allow the discharge emission        tube to discharge electricity;    -   a transformer which charges the condenser; and    -   a rigid substrate on which the condenser and the transformer        electrically connected to the condenser are mounted,    -   wherein the photography lens is disposed between the cartridge        chamber and the spool chamber, and the transformer and condenser        mounted on the rigid substrate are disposed in a space portion        between the cartridge chamber and photography lens and a space        portion between the spool chamber and photography lens,        respectively.

According to a twelfth aspect of the present invention, there isprovided a camera comprising:

-   -   a discharge emission tube which discharges electricity/emits        light for flash;    -   a first transformer which allows the discharge emission tube to        discharge electricity/emit light;    -   a first printed substrate which is disposed on an upper-surface        side in the camera and which is connected to the first        transformer;    -   a condenser in which an energy is stored to discharge the        electricity from the discharge emission tube;    -   a second transformer which charges the condenser; and    -   a second printed substrate which is disposed on a front-surface        side in the camera and which is connected to the condenser,        second transformer, and discharge emission tube,    -   wherein the first transformer is disposed in a space between the        discharge emission tube and the first printed substrate.

According to a thirteenth aspect of the present invention, there isprovided a camera comprising:

-   -   two condensers for flash light emission, which are disposed to        store a charge for the flash light emission and which are        arranged in a row in the same direction and which are disposed        in the vicinity so that outer-diameter portions of the        condensers substantially abut on each other; and    -   an electric circuit substrate on which a plurality of electric        components are mounted,    -   wherein some of the plurality of electric components mounted on        the electric circuit substrate are disposed in a space having a        substantially triangular section including an abutment point on        which the two condensers for the flash light emission abut as        one vertex and including a tangent line which connects the        outer-diameter portions of two condensers for the flash light        emission to each other as a bottom side, and at least a part of        the electric circuit substrate is fixed to the outer-diameter        portions of the two condensers for the flash light emission.

According to a fourteenth aspect of the present invention, there isprovided a camera comprising:

-   -   two condensers for flash light emission which are arranged in a        row in the same direction and which are disposed in the vicinity        so as to abut on each other and which store a charge for the        flash light emission;    -   two electric circuit substrates including first and second        electric circuit substrates; and    -   a connection member which is disposed in a space having a        substantially triangular section including an abutment point        abutting on the two condensers for the flash light emission as        one vertex and including a tangent line connecting        outer-diameter portions of the two condensers for the flash        light emission to each other as a bottom side and which connects        the first electric circuit substrate to the second electric        circuit substrate.

According to a fifteenth aspect of the present invention, there is anelectric substrate comprising:

-   -   a solder land formed in a periphery of an insertion through        portion so that a pair of leads of an electric component        including at least one pair of leads are disposed in the        vicinity of or abut on the solder land and disposed so that the        solder land is electrically connectable to the pair of leads of        the electric component,    -   wherein the insertion through portion is formed in continuity to        a circular opening formed in the electric substrate.

According to a sixteenth aspect of the present invention, there isprovided a camera comprising:

-   -   a first contact piece which contacts a cathode of a battery; and    -   a second contact piece which contacts an anode of the battery,    -   wherein the first and second contact pieces are integrally        formed, and subsequently divided into two contact pieces.

According to a seventeenth aspect of the present invention, there isprovided a flexible printed wiring board comprising:

-   -   a land; and    -   a conductor which is mounted on the land and which plastically        deformable,    -   wherein the conductor is plastically deformed so that the        flexible printed wiring board is holdable in a predetermined        bent shape.

According to an eighteenth aspect of the present invention, there isprovided a camera comprising:

-   -   a first assembly unit which is attached to the camera;    -   a second assembly unit which is attached to the camera; and    -   a flexible printed wiring board comprising:        -   a land; and        -   a conductor which is mounted on the land and which is            plastically deformable,    -   wherein the flexible printed wiring board is mounted on the        second assembly unit, and the mounted conductor is plastically        deformed in a predetermined bent shape, when the second assembly        unit is incorporated into the first assembly unit.

Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth inthe description which follows, and in part will be obvious from thedescription, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objectsand advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means ofthe instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed outhereinafter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute apart of the specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention, andtogether with the general description given above and the detaileddescription of the embodiments given below, serve to explain theprinciples of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a side view of an AF sensor mounted directly on a related-artflexible substrate;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the AF sensor mounted directly on therelated-art flexible substrate of FIG. 1 as seen from below FIG. 1;

FIGS. 3A and 3B show a combination of a substrate for mounting the AFsensor of a related-art camera and the AF sensor to be mounted, FIG. 3Ais a side view showing appearance of the AF sensor, and FIG. 3B is aplan view seen from below FIG. 3A;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a rigid FPC substrate which hasheretofore been used;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a connection insertion state of arelated-art vertical-type connector for connecting the FPC substrateinto the FPC substrate for connection;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing appearance of a compact camera asone of related-art electronic apparatuses to which the related-artvertical-type connector for connecting the FPC substrate is applied;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along line C1-C1 of FIG. 6, showing theperiphery of the vertical-type printed substrate connector in the cameraof FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing the connection insertion state of arelated-art horizontal-type connector for connecting the FPC substrateinto the FPC substrate for connection;

FIGS. 9A to 9C show a combination of the substrate for mounting the AFsensor of a camera of the present invention and the AF sensor to bemounted, FIG. 9A is a sectional view showing the appearance of the AFsensor, FIG. 9B is a plan view seen from below FIG. 9B, and FIG. 9C is aperspective view showing that the AF sensor is mounted on the substratefor mounting the AF sensor;

FIG. 10 is a plan view of the FPC substrate which is a concretelyillustrated substrate for mounting the AF sensor according to thepresent invention;

FIG. 11 is a partial enlarged view showing an AF sensor mounting area 80shown by a broken line in FIG. 10 according to a first embodiment;

FIG. 12 is a sectional view of a through hole in the AF sensor mountingarea of the FPC substrate in the first embodiment;

FIG. 13 is a sectional view showing that an AF sensor unit is mounted onthe FPC substrate of the first embodiment;

FIG. 14 is a partial enlarged view of the FPC substrate, showing an areaexclusive for mounting the AF sensor in an enlarged size according to asecond embodiment;

FIG. 15 is a sectional view of the through hole in the AF sensormounting area of the FPC substrate in the second embodiment;

FIG. 16 is a perspective view of the rigid FPC substrate according to athird embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 17 is a sectional enlarged view along line C2-C2 of FIG. 16;

FIG. 18 is a perspective view of the rigid FPC substrate according to afourth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 19 is a perspective view of an FPC connector and FPC substrate forconnection according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 20 is an exploded perspective view of the FPC connector and FPCsubstrate for connection of FIG. 19;

FIG. 21 is a perspective view in a state in which the FPC substrate forconnection is connected to the FPC connector of FIG. 19;

FIG. 22 is a sectional view along line C3-C3 of FIG. 21;

FIG. 23 is a perspective view around the FPC connector at a time ofattaching of a rigid substrate to which the FPC connector of FIG. 19 isapplied into the camera;

FIG. 24 is an exploded perspective view of the FPC connector and the FPCsubstrate for connection according to a sixth embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 25 is a sectional view showing that the FPC substrate forconnection is inserted in the FPC connector of FIG. 24 in a lock memberreleased state;

FIG. 26 is a perspective view showing a state of the FPC substrate forconnection connected to the FPC connector of FIG. 24;

FIG. 27 is a sectional view in the inserted state of the FPC connectorinto the FPC substrate for connection according to a seventh embodimentof the present invention;

FIG. 28 is a sectional view of the FPC connector in a connected state inwhich the lock member of the FPC connector of FIG. 27 is closed;

FIG. 29 is a perspective view showing the connected state of the FPCsubstrate for connection into the FPC connector according to an eighthembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 30 is a perspective view of a connector main body of the FPCconnector of FIG. 29;

FIG. 31 is a diagram of the released state of the lock member withrespect to the connector main body seen from an F1 direction of FIG. 30in the FPC connector of FIG. 29;

FIG. 32 is a diagram of the closed state of the lock member with respectto the connector main body seen from an F2 direction of FIG. 30 in theFPC connector of FIG. 29;

FIG. 33 is a sectional view of the FPC connector in the connected stateof the FPC substrate for connection into the FPC connector of FIG. 29;

FIG. 34 is a perspective view seen obliquely from above the front of thecamera on the right side in a ninth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 35 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a camera exteriorhousing along line C4-C4 in FIG. 34;

FIG. 36 is an enlarged perspective view showing the connected state ofthe condensers of FIG. 35;

FIG. 37 is an enlarged front view of the FPC substrate for connectingthe condensers of FIG. 35;

FIG. 38 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a tenth embodiment ofthe present invention;

FIG. 39 is an exploded perspective view schematically showing a wholeconstitution of the camera according to an eleventh embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 40 is an exploded perspective view extracting and showing a part(main body portion) of the camera of FIG. 39 and members such as acircuit substrate to be attached to the part;

FIG. 41 is a perspective view of an assembled state of constitutingmembers of FIG. 40;

FIG. 42 is a main part enlarged transverse sectional view along lineC5-C5 of FIG. 41;

FIG. 43 is a main part enlarged sectional view in the camera accordingto a twelfth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 44 is a block diagram showing an electronic circuit constitution ofthe camera according to a thirteenth embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 45A is an appearance perspective view of a case in which a barrieris opened, and FIG. 45B is an appearance perspective view of a case inwhich the barrier is closed;

FIG. 46 is an explanatory view relating to a display example of LCD;

FIG. 47 is a flowchart concerning control of a main operation of thecamera according to the thirteenth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 48 is an upper-surface sectional view of the camera according tothe thirteenth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 49 is a perspective view of the inside of the camera according tothe thirteenth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 50 is a side sectional view of the camera according to thethirteenth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 51A is an explanatory view in manufacturing a substrate forcharging, and FIG. 51B is an explanatory view in manufacturing thesubstrates one by one;

FIG. 52 is a side sectional view showing an example in which a batteryis mounted on a main substrate;

FIG. 53 is an explanatory view showing an example in which a diode isused to connect the substrate;

FIG. 54 is an explanatory view showing an example in which a triggercondenser is disposed on the back of an Xe tube;

FIG. 55 is an explanatory view showing an example in which the triggercondenser is disposed apart from the Xe tube;

FIG. 56 is an internal constitution diagram of the camera according to afourteenth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 57 is a constitution diagram of an electric substrate according toa fifteenth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 58 is an appearance view in mounting electric components on theelectric substrate according to the fifteenth embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 59 is a diagram showing a battery contact piece according to asixteenth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 60 is an exploded perspective view of an exploded part showing anassembling operation of a contact piece for a cathode of FIG. 59 into abattery containing chamber;

FIG. 61 is an appearance perspective view showing an assembled state ofthe contact piece for the cathode into the battery containing chamber inFIG. 60;

FIG. 62 is a perspective view showing the appearance of the camera towhich the present invention is applied;

FIG. 63 is a perspective view showing an open state of a battery lid ofFIG. 62;

FIG. 64 is an exploded perspective view of an exploded part showing theattaching operation of the contact piece for the anode into the batterycontaining chamber;

FIG. 65 is a perspective view showing an attached state of the contactpiece for the anode of FIG. 64 into the battery containing chamber fromthe appearance;

FIG. 66 is a perspective view showing the attached state of the contactpieces for the cathode and anode of FIG. 59 into the battery containingchamber as seen on an anode contact side;

FIG. 67 is a perspective view showing the attached state of the contactpieces for the cathode and anode of FIG. 59 into the battery containingchamber as seen on a cathode contact side;

FIG. 68 is a diagram showing a battery contact piece according to aseventeenth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 69 is a diagram showing the battery contact piece according to aneighteenth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 70 is a perspective view showing the battery contact pieceaccording to a nineteenth embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 71A and 71B are perspective views showing cut states of thecontact piece for the cathode and the contact piece for the anode from aportion to be cut;

FIG. 72 is a perspective view from behind, showing the assembled stateof the battery contact pieces into the camera housing not including theexterior member by an assembling method according to a 20th embodimentof the present invention;

FIG. 73 is an exploded perspective view showing an attaching step of thebattery contact piece into the camera housing;

FIG. 74 is a perspective view showing the attached state of the batterycontact piece of FIG. 73 into the camera housing;

FIG. 75 is an exploded perspective view showing a step of cutting thebattery contact piece attached into the camera housing;

FIG. 76 is a partial enlarged perspective view from behind, showing theassembled state of the battery contact piece into the camera housing notincluding the exterior member by the assembling method according to a21st embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 77 is an enlarged exploded perspective view showing a step ofattaching the battery contact piece into the camera housing;

FIG. 78 is an enlarged perspective view showing the battery contactpiece disposed on an undersurface side of the battery containingchamber;

FIG. 79 is a partial enlarged perspective view showing the attachedstate of the battery contact piece into a ceiling wall of the batterycontaining chamber;

FIG. 80 is a partial enlarged perspective view showing the step ofcutting the battery contact piece of FIG. 79;

FIG. 81 is a partial enlarged perspective view showing an insertingstate of two batteries into the battery containing chamber into whichthe battery contact piece is assembled;

FIG. 82 is an exploded perspective view of an FPC substrate unit whichcan be built into an apparatus according to a 22nd embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 83 is a perspective view of the FPC substrate unit before bentaccording to the 22nd embodiment shown in FIG. 82;

FIG. 84 is a sectional view along line C6-C6 of FIG. 83, showing thebent state of the FPC substrate unit according to the 22nd embodimentshown in FIG. 82;

FIG. 85 is an enlarged sectional view of a bent portion of the FPCsubstrate in the FPC substrate unit according to the 22nd embodimentshown in FIG. 82;

FIG. 86 is a perspective view of the FPC substrate unit which does nothave a relief hole associated with the FPC substrate unit according tothe 22nd embodiment shown in FIG. 82;

FIG. 87 is a sectional view along line C7-C7 of FIG. 86, showing thebent state of the FPC substrate unit shown in FIG. 86;

FIG. 88 is a perspective view of the FPC substrate unit before bent,which can be built in the apparatus according to a 23rd embodiment ofthe present invention;

FIG. 89 is a sectional view of the FPC substrate unit in the bent stateaccording to the 23rd embodiment shown in FIG. 88;

FIG. 90 is a perspective view of the FPC substrate unit before bent,which can be built in the apparatus according to a 24th embodiment ofthe present invention;

FIG. 91 is a sectional view of the FPC substrate unit in the bent stateaccording to the 24th embodiment shown in FIG. 90;

FIG. 92 is an exploded perspective view of the camera as the apparatusin which the FPC substrate is built according to a 25th embodiment ofthe present invention;

FIG. 93 is a front view of the FPC substrate unit for a control circuitwhich is built in the camera according to the 25th embodiment of FIG.92;

FIG. 94 is an exploded perspective view of the camera main body unit andthe FPC substrate unit for the control circuit which are incorporated inthe camera according to the 25th embodiment of FIG. 92; and

FIG. 95 is an exploded perspective view of the camera main body unit onwhich the FPC substrate unit for the control circuit is mounted, and theFPC substrate unit for AF in the camera according to the 25th embodimentof FIG. 92.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following embodiments have been disclosed in Japanese patentapplication No. 2002-116578 filed on Apr. 18, 2002, in Japan, the entirecontents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

The embodiments of the present invention will be described hereinafterwith reference to the drawings.

FIGS. 9A to 9C show a case in which an AF sensor unit for use in acamera is mounted on a flexible substrate.

As shown in a side view of FIG. 9A, an AF sensor unit 60 includes a linesensor 62 which is a photo-electric conversion element. The line sensor62 is covered with a seal cover 64 which has a light transmissionproperty on a light receiving surface side. A side portion and rearsurface of the line sensor 62 are covered with a shielding cover 66which has a shielding property. Moreover, a gelled material 68 ischarged among the seal cover 64, shielding cover 66, and line sensor 62,and these components are united in this state.

Furthermore, terminals for connection 70 into the line sensor 62 areexposed to the outside through the shielding cover 66. In this state,the seal cover 64 is attached to a base 72 of the AF sensor unit 60.Light receiving lenses 60 a, 60 b for guiding a flux into the linesensor 62 are attached to predetermined positions of the base 72. Inthis manner, the base 72, seal cover 64, and shielding cover 66 form ahousing of the AF sensor unit 60.

Moreover, openings 74 a, 74 b having predetermined sizes are formedopposite to the line sensor 62 of the shielding cover 66. These functionas vent holes for introducing an outside air into the gelled material 68charged inside. Even when the gelled material 68 expands or contracts bya change of temperature or air pressure, the line sensor 62 itself isprevented from being broken, or an error is prevented from being loadedon a sensor output.

For the AF sensor 60 including this structure, as shown in theperspective view of FIG. 9C, through holes for ventilating air 78 haveto be disposed in an FPC substrate 76 to be mounted. This willschematically be described along a manufacturing process of the FPCsubstrate 76.

For example, a plurality of predetermined conductor patterns treatedwith gold plating are connected to the substrate, and the outer shapeholes 78 for eliminating the connection of the conductor patterns afterthe gold plating treatment are disposed in the vicinity of the ventholes 74 a, 74 b of the AF sensor 60.

Moreover, to pass a current through the conductor patterns in order tosubject the predetermined conductor patterns 78 to electrolytic goldplating treatment, conductor patterns for the gold plating disposedoutside (outside an outer shape) are connected as follows. That is, whenthe conductor patterns are connected to the conductor patterns for thegold plating, a plurality of conductor patterns to be plated with goldare connected. Moreover, after the gold plating treatment, the throughholes are disposed in connected portions in order to eliminate theconnection of the conductor patterns (details are described later).

Details of a substrate for mounting the AF sensor will be describedhereinafter in terms of a plurality of embodiments.

FIG. 10 illustrates the FPC substrate 76 to which characteristics of thesubstrate for mounting according to the present invention are concretelyapplied. The FPC substrate 76 illustrated here is a substrate formounting the AF sensor, and predetermined conductor patterns foroperating/controlling an automatic focusing (AF) function for the cameraare printed as shown. A mounting area 80 for mounting the AF sensor unit60 described above is disposed in one end of the substrate 76.

Moreover, FIG. 11 shows the AF sensor mounting area 80 of the FPCsubstrate 76 illustrated in FIG. 10, for mounting the rectangular AFsensor unit 60 shown by a broken line in an enlarged size.

As seen from a back surface of the FPC substrate 76, the predeterminedconductor pattern 78 is also formed in the mounting area 80 disposed formounting the AF sensor unit 60 which forms a rectangular shape. That is,when the predetermined conductor pattern 78 is treated with the goldplating, conductor patterns for the gold plating treatment 82, 84disposed to supply/pass the current from the outside are formed betweenthe predetermined conductor patterns in bridge shapes. That is, theconductor pattern for the gold plating treatment 82 is formed to connecta conductor pattern 78 f to a conductor pattern 78 d, and the conductorpattern for the gold plating treatment 84 is formed to connect theconductor pattern 78 f to a conductor pattern 78 a.

Moreover, patterns 86, 88, 90 are disposed to be electrically conductivewith respect to the conductor patterns for the gold plating treatment82, 84 so as to pass the current so that the predetermined conductorpattern 78 is subjected to the electrolytic gold plating treatment.These conductor patterns 86, 88, 90 are referred to as connectionpatterns of the conductor patterns for the gold plating treatment,“connection patterns” in short, and the patterns are formed in thebridge shapes so as to be electrically conductive with respect to thepredetermined conductor pattern.

That is, the connection pattern 86 connects the conductor pattern 78 dto a conductor pattern 78 e. The connection pattern 88 connects aconductor pattern 78 g to a conductor pattern 78 h. The connectionpattern 90 connects the conductor pattern 78 a to a conductor pattern 78b.

Furthermore, through holes 92 a, 92 b for forming the connection of thepredetermined conductor patterns after the gold plating treatment areformed in positions (i.e., the same positions as those of the outershape holes 92 a, 92 b) such that the connection patterns (86, 90) passthrough centers of the positions.

In general, for the FPC substrate, a plurality of FPC substrates aremanufactured from one base-material sheet. At this time, after formingthe predetermined conductor patterns for the plurality of FPC substratesfrom one base-material sheet, the individual FPC substrates are cut fromthe base material and manufactured.

In this manner, when the FPC substrates are cut off, molds such as apunch may also be used in some time. In this case, when the throughholes 92 a, 92 b are formed in the mold for the punch, any manufacturingstep does not have to be added.

Moreover, the openings 74 a, 74 b disposed in the AF sensor unit 60 areformed substantially in the same positions as those of the connectionpatterns 86, 90, that is, in the vicinity of the through holes 92 a, 92b, as shown by a broken-line circle in FIG. 11.

It is to be noted that the through holes 92 a, 92 b are assumed to bethrough holes through which a resist or cover lay is opened.

That is, as shown in a sectional view of FIG. 12, for the FPC substrate76, the conductor patterns 78 or connection patterns 82 to 90 are formedon a base 94 constituted of polyimide. Further on the patterns, a coverlay 96 formed of an insulating material is formed. Moreover, the coverlay 96 is not formed in the positions in which the through holes 92 a,92 b are formed.

It is to be noted that in the present embodiment the FPC substrate isshown as the example. However, with the rigid substrate, the conductorpattern is formed on the base formed of an epoxy resin, and the patternis coated with a resist formed of the insulating material. Therefore,with the use of the rigid substrate, the resist is not formed in theplaces where the through holes 92 a, 92 b are formed.

It is to be noted that first and second connection lands 78 c, 78 d tobe connected to the connection terminals 70 of the AF sensor unit 60 aredisposed in the mounting area 80, respectively. The first connectionland 78 c is disposed in a position disposed opposite to the connectionterminals 70 extended from one side of the AF sensor unit 60. The secondconnection land 78 b is disposed in a position disposed opposite to theconnection terminals 70 extended from the other side of the AF sensorunit 60. Therefore, the first and second connection lands 78 c, 78 dare. disposed in positions apart from each other by a predeterminedamount, and the through holes 92 a, 92 b are disposed between thesefirst and second connection lands 78 c, 78 d.

A sectional view in mounting the AF sensor unit 60 on the FPC substrate76 formed in this manner is shown in FIG. 13.

As shown in FIG. 13, the through holes 92 a, 92 b are disposedsubstantially opposite to the openings 74 a, 74 b formed in the AFsensor unit 60. Therefore, the openings 74 a, 74 b are not closed by theFPC substrate 76.

As described above, according to the first embodiment, after the goldplating treatment, the outer shape holes for eliminating the connectionsof the conductor patterns as the bridge-shaped “connection patterns”(86, 88, 90) which have been disposed for the plating treatment aredisposed in the vicinity of the vent holes for the AF sensor(substantially in the same position). Accordingly, these vent holes forthe AF sensor can be used in common with the outer shape holes. As aresult, a mounting space of the FPC substrate 76 can be savedaccordingly.

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described.

FIG. 14 shows the AF sensor mounting portion of an FPC substrate 100 onwhich the above-described AF sensor unit 60 is similarly mounted in anenlarged size according to the second embodiment of the presentinvention.

In the same manner as in the above-described example of FIG. 11, arectangular broken line in the figure shows the appearance of the AFsensor seen from the back surface, and broken-line circles show theopenings of the AF sensor unit 60. FIG. 15 shows a section of thethrough hole.

Through holes 98 a, 98 b are formed as the through holes for settingconductor patterns 104 disposed in the front and back of a base 106 ofthe AF sensor mounting substrate 100 to be electrically conductive bycopper plating 108. These through holes 98 a, 98 b are formed inpositions close to those of the openings 74 a, 74 b of the AF sensorunit 60 shown by the broken-line circles. Even in this case, in the samemanner as in the above-described first embodiment, a cover lay 110 isnot formed in the positions of the through holes 98 a, 98 b. With theuse of the rigid substrate, the resist is not formed in thecorresponding position.

That is, substantially in the same manner as in the above-describedfirst embodiment, the through holes 98 a, 98 b are disposed in positionscorresponding to the openings 74 a, 74 b (substantially in the samepositions).

Moreover, in the same manner as in the above-described first embodiment,first and second connection lands 104 c, 104 d are disposed in the FPCsubstrate 100. Furthermore, the terminals for connection 70 of the AFsensor unit 60 are connected to these lands for connection 104 c, 104 d.Additionally, the through holes 98 a, 98 b are disposed between thefirst and second lands for connection 104 c, 104 d.

As described above, according to the second embodiment, the throughholes 98 a, 98 b are disposed in the vicinity of the openings of the AFsensor unit 60, so that high-precision ranging can be performedregardless of outer environments such as temperature, air pressure, andhumidity. The through holes disposed in the vicinity of the openings ofthe AF sensor unit are formed by the through holes for forming a desiredcircuit, so that it is not necessary to newly form the through holes.Accordingly, the mounting space of the FPC substrate 100 can be savedfor the holes. Therefore, a smaller FPC substrate can be realized.

(Modification Example of Second Embodiment)

Furthermore, the above-described second embodiment may bemodified/implemented as follows, and an effect similar to that of thefirst embodiment can be expected.

For example, the FPC substrates 76, 100 illustrated in theabove-described first and second embodiments may also be hard printedsubstrates.

Moreover, the FPC substrate 100 described in the second embodiment mayalso be the hard printed substrate including the structures of thethrough holes.

It is to be noted that, needless to say, the number and positions ofthrough holes to be formed in the mounting substrate may be matched withthose of through holes disposed in the AF sensor which is a mountingobject.

When the modifications are carried out, effects similar to or more thanthose of the above-described first and second embodiments can also beexpected.

The present invention has been described above based on the embodiments,but the present specification includes the following invention. Forexample, to subject the predetermined conductor pattern to theelectrolytic gold plating treatment, the current is passed through theconductor pattern. To set the conductor pattern to be electricallyconductive with respect to the conductor pattern for the gold plating,disposed outside the outer shape, the conductor pattern is connected tothe conductor pattern for the gold plating. In this case, the substrateis connected to a plurality of conductor patterns to be subjected to thegold plating, and the outer shape holes are disposed in the connectedportion in order to eliminate the connections of the conductor patternsafter the gold plating treatment. There can be provided the substratefor mounting the AF sensor of the camera, characterized as describedabove, and the camera including the substrate.

The following embodiments have been disclosed in Japanese patentapplication No. 2002-139051 filed on May 14, 2002, in Japan, the entirecontents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

Additionally, as shown in FIG. 4, for the flip-chip mounting onto therigid FPC substrate 14, the bare chips 16 such as the CPU are usuallymounted on the rigid substrate 12 of the substrate 14. However, when astress is imposed on the substrate during the assembling or at a fixingtime of the substrate, the stress is imposed on an end surface of theflip-chip mounted bare chip. As a result, there is a problem thatconnection strength becomes unstable and reliability is deteriorated.This is because the rigid substrate has high hardness.

Moreover, since one component cannot mounted together with the othercomponent in the flip-chip mounting, a method of first flip-chipmounting an element and subsequently mounting peripheral components isconventional. However, when the peripheral components are mounted byreflow, a cream solder is printed. Therefore, for a peripheral portion Aof the flip-chip mounted element (portion surrounded with a broken linein FIG. 4), a step for escaping from the flip-chip mounted element isdisposed in a mask for printing. Therefore, the printing becomesdifficult, and the peripheral portion has a restriction that thecomponents cannot be mounted.

A third embodiment will be described hereinafter with reference to thedrawing.

FIG. 16 is a perspective view of the rigid FPC substrate according tothe third embodiment of the present invention.

A rigid FPC substrate 114 shown in FIG. 16 includes a multilayeredstructure in which an FPC substrate 116 is held in a rigid substrate 118and superimposed.

In a middle portion of the surface exposed to the outside of the rigidsubstrate 118, a round, rectangular, or square opening 120 is formed bya hole extending through the substrate 118. A part of the inner FPCsubstrate 116 is exposed by the opening 120. Moreover, a bare chip 122of the CPU is disposed as a semiconductor element in the opening 120,and mounted on the exposed FPC substrate by a flip-chip bonding process.

FIG. 17 is an enlarged sectional view along line C2-C2 of the rigid FPCsubstrate 62 shown in FIG. 16.

The FPC substrate 116 is constituted of a base film layer 132 generallyusing insulating materials such as polyimide, a conductor layer 134, anda cover lay film layer 136 including a material similar to that of thebase film layer 132. The conductor layer 134 is attached to the uppersurface of the base film layer 132 by an adhesive layer (not shown).Moreover, the cover lay film layer 136 is bonded to the upper surface ofthe conductor layer 134.

Furthermore, in the middle portion of the rigid substrate 118, therectangular, round, or square opening 120 is formed by the holeextending through the substrate 118, and a part of the FPC substrate 116is exposed by the opening 120. Further in a part of the exposed FPCsubstrate 116, the cover lay film layer 136 is removed, and theconductor layer 134 is exposed.

On the other hand, the bare chip 122 disposed in the opening 120 ismounted on the exposed portion of the conductor layer 134 so as tocontact a pad (not shown) disposed on the undersurface via a conductiveprotrusion 150. Additionally, the bare chip 122 is electricallyconnected to the FPC substrate 116. It is to be noted that examples of aconnection method include a method by a conductive adhesive, a methodusing an adhesive sheet containing fine conductive particles, and amethod using mutual diffusion of metals.

The rigid substrate 118 includes a structure in which glass epoxy copperlaminate plates are superposed upon opposite surfaces of the FPCsubstrate 116, and FIG. 17 shows that two layers are superposed on eachof the upper and lower surfaces. Therefore, for the rigid substrate 118,a glass epoxy layer 138, conductor layer 140, glass epoxy layer 142, andconductor layer 144 are stacked in order. Furthermore, through holes 148for connecting all the conductor layers to one.another are formed onopposite sides of the opening 120.

That is, the conductor layer 140 is bonded to the upper surface of theglass epoxy layer 138. The glass epoxy layer 142 is bonded to the uppersurface of the conductor layer 140. The conductor layer 144 is bonded tothe upper surface of the glass epoxy layer 142. Moreover, a solderresist layer 146 is formed on the upper surface of the conductor layer144 which is an outermost layer. A component land is disposed in theopening of the solder resist layer 146 so that an electronic component128, and the like can be mounted.

In the rigid FPC substrate according to the third embodiment of thepresent invention constituted in this manner, the opening 120 by thethrough hole is disposed in the middle portion of the rigid substrate118. Further in a part of the FPC substrate exposed in the opening 120,the flip-chip mounting is performed. Therefore, even when the stress isimposed on the rigid substrate 114 during the assembling or at thesubstrate fixing time, the flexible substrate 116 with the bare chip 122of the CPU mounted thereon has flexibility. Therefore, the stress is noteasily imposed on the end surface of the directly flip-chip mounted barechip 122, the connection strength can be prevented from beingdeteriorated, and the reliability of connection can be enhanced.

Moreover, as described above, when the bare chip 122 of the CPU isflip-chip mounted on the rigid FPC substrate 114, the cream solder needsto be printed in order to mount the component around the flip-chipmounting portion with the reflow. However, in the peripheral portion A(see FIG. 4) of the flip-chip mounted element, there is the step forescaping from the flip-chip mounted element in the mask for printing.Therefore, it becomes difficult to print the cream solder, and there isthe restriction that the other components cannot be mounted.

However, according to the third embodiment, when the opening 120 isformed in the rigid substrate 118 as shown in FIG. 17, the followingresults. That is, when the element having a height smaller than thethickness of the rigid substrate 118 is flip-chip mounted, it is notnecessary to form the step for escaping from the component in the maskfor printing. Accordingly, it is possible to print the cream solder.Therefore, as shown in FIG. 16, many components 124 to 130 can bedisposed in the peripheral portion of the bare chip 122 of the CPU.Consequently, the components can be mounted with high density.

FIG. 18 is a perspective view of the rigid FPC substrate according to afourth embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 18, a rigid FPC substrate 152 is constituted in a multilayeredstructure in which an FPC substrate 154 is held in a rigid substrate 156and superimposed. An end of the FPC substrate 154 extended from thesuperimposed portion is connected to a display element 158 constitutedof an LCD as an electric component.

Therefore, the display element 158 is disposed opposite to the rigidsubstrate 156 via the FPC substrate 154 extended from the rigid FPCsubstrate 152. Moreover, cutouts 160 having U or concave shapes areformed on opposite front and back sides in an edge of the rigidsubstrate 156 disposed opposite to the display element 158. By thesecutouts 160, a part of the inner FPC substrate is exposed.

A bare chip 162 such as the CPU is flip-chip mounted in the cutout 160so that display signal output terminals, that is, display signal outputport group of the bare chip 162 are directed on a display element 158side.

Accordingly, the display signal output port group of the bare chip 162such as the CPU has a shortest distance with respect to the displayelement 158. Therefore, a wiring space is minimized, and wiringefficiency is improved.

Furthermore, the rigid FPC substrate according to the fourth embodimentof the present invention constituted in this manner has the followingadvantage. That is, in the fourth embodiment, the cutouts 160 aredisposed in the edge of the rigid substrate 156, and the bare chip 162such as the CPU is mounted in the position close to the end in thevicinity of the end surface of the rigid substrate 156 by the cutouts160. Accordingly, since another space in the rigid substrate caneffectively be used, the flip chips can be mounted at the high density.

The following embodiments have been disclosed in Japanese patentapplication No. 2002-148163 filed on May 22, 2002, in Japan, the entirecontents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

Additionally, as described above, when the related-art FPC connector 20of FIG. 5 is applied to the camera 30 as shown in FIG. 7, the rigidsubstrate is fixed to a camera main body 48, and subsequently the FPCsubstrate for connection 46 is connected to the connector, thereinforcing substrate 26 has high hardness and is not easily bent.Therefore, under an insertion port of the FPC connector 20, an emptyspace 50 whose length is not less than that of the reinforcing substrate26 is required between the FPC connector 20 and camera main body. Thisempty space 50 hinders the miniaturization of the camera.

On the other hand, when the rigid substrate 22 is connected to the FPCsubstrate for connection 46 beforehand, and subsequently fixed to thecamera main body 48, the empty space 50 is unnecessary. However, anassembling procedure is restricted. Further on the FPC substrate forconnection 46, the electric components such as the LCD display portion40 displaying the number of photographs are mounted in many cases.

Additionally, when the rigid substrate 22 connected to the FPC substratefor connection 46 is fixed to the camera main body 48, the electriccomponents are obstacles and sometimes damage the disposed components.At an overhaul time, when the FPC substrate for connection 46 isdetached, the empty space 50 is not sufficient. Therefore, afterremoving the rigid substrate 22 which does not have to be essentiallyremoved from the camera main body 48, the FPC substrate for connection46 is removed from the FPC connector 20. Therefore, the number ofoverhaul steps increases, and a cost rise is caused.

A fifth embodiment described hereinafter solves this problem. The fifthembodiment will be described hereinafter.

FIG. 19 is a perspective view of the connector for the FPC substrate andthe FPC substrate for connection according to the fifth embodiment ofthe present invention, and a state is shown in which a lock member isreleased before attaching the FPC substrate for connection. FIG. 20 isan exploded perspective view of the connector for the FPC substrate andthe FPC substrate for connection. FIG. 21 is a perspective view in astate in which the FPC substrate for connection is connected to theconnector for the FPC substrate, and FIG. 22 is a sectional view alongline C3-C3 of FIG. 21.

A connector for FPC substrate connection in the fifth embodiment(hereinafter referred to simply as the FPC connector) 170 is solderedand mounted in an upright state with respect to a rigid substrate 172 asshown in FIGS. 19 and 20. An electric circuit formed or mounted by theFPC connector 170 on a rigid substrate 172 side is electricallyconnected to an electric circuit formed or mounted on the side of an FPCsubstrate for connection 174 attached to the FPC connector 170.

The FPC connector 170 mainly includes a connector main body 176, a lockmember 178 which is lock means, and a plurality of connection terminalplates 180 held by the connector main body 176.

In the connector main body 176, a plurality of terminal containingconcave portions 176 a, the number of which corresponds to that ofconnection contacts, are disposed on an FPC substrate insertion surface176 e, and an FPC substrate tip-end guide surface 176 c is disposed on amain body bottom-surface portion. Furthermore, the connector main body176 includes: an FPC substrate abutment surface 176 d in an inner end ofan FPC substrate insertion direction (D′ direction); stepped engagingportions 176 b in opposite ends of a main-body upper width direction;and a support shaft 182 fixed onto a main-body lower side along a Ddirection.

It is to be noted that the plurality of terminal containing concaveportions 176 a are disposed on the FPC substrate insertion surface 176 ecrossing at right angles to the mounting surface of the rigid substrate172. In the concave portions 176 a, the respective connection terminalplates 180 described later are disposed along the D direction(horizontal direction) and incorporated.

The lock member 178 is a member rotatably supported by the support shaft182 of the connector main body 176. Moreover, the member includes aconvex portion 178 b which is extended in the D direction in a positiondisposed opposite to a connection terminal array to press a connectionpattern rear surface of the FPC substrate for connection 174.Furthermore, the lock member 178 includes claw portions 178 a projectingfrom the opposite ends in the D direction in the upper part. Supportshaft holes 178 c are disposed in the opposite ends of the lower Ddirection.

The connection terminal plates 180 include FPC substrate contactportions 180 a which can contact connection pattern portions 174 a ofthe FPC substrate for connection 174. The FPC substrate contact portions180 a are formed of conductive materials. The connection terminal plates180 also include substrate terminal portions 180 b soldered to theconnector connection pattern of the rigid substrate 172. Furthermore,the connection terminal plates 180 are fixed/held in the terminalcontaining concave portions 176 a of the connector main body 176 (seeFIG. 22).

The connection terminal plates 180, the number of which corresponds tothe desired number of connection contacts, are disposed. Moreover, thecontacts 180 a of the connection terminal plates 180 are exposed anddisposed in a projecting state from the FPC substrate insertion surface176 e of the connector main body 176 by a small dimension. Theseplurality of connection terminal plates 180 form a terminal array (arrayof connection terminals) 180 c along the D direction which is the widthdirection of the connector main body 176.

When the lock member 178 is rotated to a closed position, the respectivecontacts 180 a of the connection terminal plates 180 are pressed by theconvex portion 178 b via a reinforcing substrate 184 on the FPCsubstrate 174 side. Accordingly, the connection terminal plates 180 areslightly elastically deformed. Since the respective connection terminalplates 180 are elastically deformed in this manner, the respectivecontacts 180 a contact the connection pattern 174 a of the FPC substratefor connection 174 with an appropriate contact pressure for the electricconnection. It is to be noted that the D direction which is thedirection of the terminal array 180 c is parallel to the mountingsurface of the rigid substrate 172 in the mounted state of the FPCconnector 170 onto the rigid substrate.

In the FPC substrate for connection 174, the plurality of connectionpatterns 174 a, the number of which corresponds to that of connectioncontacts, are disposed in the tip-end connection portion. Thereinforcing substrate 184 is attached to-the back-surface side of theseconnection patterns 174 a. The plurality of connection patterns 174 aare disposed along a connection pattern array (shown D direction). TheFPC substrate for connection 174 extends along a vertical direction withrespect to the direction (shown D direction) of the arrangement of theconnection pattern array.

It is to be noted that the FPC substrate for connection 174 forms any ofthe following substrates by the constitution of an electric circuitsubstrate of the apparatus such as the camera to which the substrate isapplied. That is, the substrates include an FPC substrate whose otherend is connected to a main control FPC substrate (not shown) or which isintegral with the main control FPC substrate, or an FPC substrate onwhich LCD or switch is mounted.

In this manner, the FPC substrate for connection can realize variousmodes in accordance with the apparatus to which the substrate isapplied.

The FPC substrate for connection 174 is connected to the FPC connector170 of the present embodiment including this constitution as follows.

First, the lock member 178 of the FPC connector 170 mounted on the rigidsubstrate 172 in the upright state is brought in a released state (lockreleased state) as shown in FIG. 19. Subsequently, the tip-endconnection portion of the FPC substrate for connection 174 isslid/inserted between the connector main body 176 and lock member 178along the D′ direction (horizontal direction) parallel to the shown Ddirection. At this time, the tip-end surface of the FPC substrate forconnection 174 is slid on the FPC substrate tip-end guide surface 176 cof the connector main body 176 and inserted, and the side surface of theFPC substrate for connection 174 is allowed to abut on the FPC substrateabutment surface 176 d. In the abutment state, the lock member 178 isrotated/operated in a closed direction. As shown in FIG. 21, the claw178 b is engaged with the engaging portion 176 b of the connector mainbody 176 and is locked. Accordingly, a connector connected state isobtained.

In the connector connected state, the FPC substrate for connection 174in the width direction (the D direction in the figure) is positioned bya width direction step portion 178 d of the lock member 178. On theother hand, for a vertical direction (shown E direction), the tip end ofthe FPC substrate for connection 174 is allowed to contact the FPCsubstrate tip-end guide surface 176 c so that the substrate ispositioned.

Moreover, as shown in the sectional view of FIG. 22, the reinforcingsubstrate 184 of the back-surface portion of the array of the connectionpatterns 174 a is pressed by the convex portion 178 b of the lock member178. Therefore, the connection patterns 174 a are pressed in contactwith the contacts 180 a of the connection terminal plates 180 with agood position accuracy. Accordingly, a secure electric connection stateis obtained between the connection patterns 174 a and contacts 180 a.Furthermore, a circuit formed in the rigid substrate 172, or each lineof the mounted electric circuit is connected to each corresponding lineof the FPC substrate for connection 174.

When the FPC substrate for connection 174 is disconnected from the FPCconnector 170 in the connected state, the claw portion 178 a of the lockmember 178 is released, and a lock member released state shown in FIG.19 is obtained. In this state, the FPC substrate for connection 174 canbe extracted along an anti-D′ direction.

In the above-described connector connection/disconnection method, theFPC substrate for connection 174 is inserted or removed along the D′direction (horizontal direction) parallel to the shown D direction whichis the arrangement direction of the terminal array with respect to theFPC connector 170. However, the method is not limited to this. Thetip-end connection portion of the FPC substrate for connection 174 canalso be inserted/removed, connected, or disconnected along the Edirection (vertical direction) crossing at right angles to the Ddirection.

According to the FPC connector 170 of the present embodiment, when theFPC substrate for connection 174 is attached to/detached from the FPCconnector 170, the tip-end connection portion of the FPC substrate forconnection 174 is slid/moved along the direction parallel to the rigidsubstrate 172 (D direction). Accordingly, it is possible to attach ordetach the FPC substrate for connection 174.

Therefore, even when a space for extracting the FPC substrate forconnection 174 in the mounting surface direction (thickness direction)of the rigid substrate 172 cannot be secured, it is possible to attachor detach the FPC substrate for connection 174. That is, still in theattached state of the rigid substrate 172 onto the apparatus main body,the FPC substrate for connection 174 can be inserted along the mountingsurface of the rigid substrate 172, and connected to the FPC connector170, or extracted and removed.

Moreover, when the FPC substrate for connection 174 is insertedinto/removed from the FPC connector 170, the FPC substrate forconnection 174 is inserted in the released state of the lock member 178.Therefore, there is a sufficient insertion space around the contact, andthere is not a danger that the FPC substrate for connection 174 isdamaged or deformed.

Furthermore, the FPC substrate for connection 174 can be insertedinto/removed from the FPC connector 170 of the fifth embodiment alongthe D′ direction or the E direction. Therefore, the appropriateinserting/removing direction of the FPC substrate for connection 174 canbe selected in accordance with a situation of a disposed position of theFPC connector 170.

FIG. 23 is a perspective view around the FPC connector at a time of theattaching of the rigid substrate to which the FPC connector of the fifthembodiment is applied into the camera. A camera 190 shown in FIG. 23includes a constitution similar to that of the camera 30 shown in FIG.6, and is different in the structure around the FPC connector. Adifferent part will be described hereinafter.

The FPC connector 170 is mounted on a rigid substrate 192 disposed inthe camera 190, and connected to the FPC substrate for connection 174.Subsequently, the FPC substrate for connection 174 is bent and disposedin the position of the end of the reinforcing substrate 184. Under modesetting switch buttons 198, the rigid substrate 192 is disposed.Electronic members 194 and the FPC connector 170 are mounted on themounting surface of the rigid substrate 192. Further on the FPCsubstrate for connection 174, a camera back cover portion 200 as well asan LCD display portion 196 with which a camera main body 202 is coveredare mounted.

While the rigid substrate 192 is fixed to the camera main body 202, theFPC substrate for connection 174 is attached to/detached from the FPCconnector 170. In this case, the FPC substrate for connection 174 doesnot have to be necessarily moved in the E direction crossing at rightangles to the mounting surface of the rigid substrate 192. That is, thesubstrate can be slid in a direction parallel to the D direction (seeFIG. 19), that is, in a direction vertical to the sheet surface of FIG.23 to be attached/detached. Therefore, a space on the mounting surfaceside of the rigid substrate 192 can be narrowed to a position of 202from that of a camera main body 202 a. That is, as compared with theapplication of the related-art FPC connector 20 shown in FIG. 7, asmaller space 204 can be used, and it is possible to miniaturize theapparatuses such as the camera.

Next, the FPC connector which is a connector for FPC substrateconnection according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention willbe described with reference to FIGS. 24 to 26.

FIG. 24 is an exploded perspective view of the FPC connector and the FPCsubstrate for connection according to the sixth embodiment. FIG. 25 is asectional view showing that the FPC substrate for connection is insertedinto the FPC connector in the lock member released state. FIG. 26 is aperspective view showing a state of the FPC substrate for connectionconnected to the FPC connector.

For an FPC connector 206 of the present embodiment, an insertionproperty of the FPC substrate for connection is further enhanced withrespect to the FPC connector 170 of the fifth embodiment. Particularly,a different part from the FPC connector 170 of the fifth embodiment willbe described hereinafter.

As shown in FIGS. 24 to 26, the FPC connector 206 of the sixthembodiment is a connector mounted in the upright state with respect to arigid substrate 220. Moreover, the FPC connector 206 mainly includes aconnector main body 208, a lock member 210, and a plurality ofconnection terminal plates 214 held in the connector main body 208.

In the same manner as the connector main body 176, the connector mainbody 208 includes a plurality of terminal containing concave portions208 a, stepped engaging portions 208 b in the opposite upper ends in themain body width direction, and a support shaft 212 fixed to a main bodylower side along the shown arrow D direction. Further in the connectormain body 208, a substrate tip-end guide groove 208 c on the main-bodybottom-surface portion, and an FPC substrate side-surface guide groove208 d along the E direction in an FPC substrate insertion direction (D′direction) inner portion are disposed. Additionally, in the connectormain body 208, an FPC substrate guide protrusion 208 e is disposed on anFPC substrate insertion port side in the D direction.

It is to be noted that the FPC substrate side-surface guide groove 208 dis broadened in the upper part in accordance with an inclination of anFPC substrate for connection 216. The FPC substrate guide protrusion 208e has a height to such a degree that the FPC substrate for connection216 in the inclined state at the insertion time does not abut on theconnection terminal plates 214. That is, the inclination of the FPCsubstrate for connection 216 at the insertion time is an inclination forpreventing the FPC substrate for connection 216 from contacting contacts214 a of the connection terminal plates 214.

The lock member 210 is a member rotatably supported by the support shaft212 of the connector main body 208. Moreover, the lock member 210includes a convex portion 210 b which presses the connection patternrear surface of the FPC substrate for connection 216, claw portions 210a projecting from the opposite ends in the shown D direction in theupper part, and support shaft holes 210 c. Furthermore, the lock member210 includes a cutout 210 d into which the guide protrusion 208 e of theconnector main body 208 can fit.

The connection terminal plates 214 are formed of the conductivematerials, and include convex FPC substrate contact portions 214 a andsubstrate terminal portions 214 b in the same manner as the connectionterminal plates 180. The connection terminal plates 214 are alsofixed/held in the terminal containing concave portions 208 a of theconnector main body 208 (see FIG. 25).

The same number of connection terminal plates 214 as the desired numberof connection contacts are disposed so as to form a terminal array(array of connection terminals) 214 c along the D direction in thefigure, which is the width direction of the connector main body 208.Moreover, the contacts 214 a of the connection terminal plates 214 areexposed and disposed in the projecting state from the FPC substrateinsertion surface of the connector main body 208 by the small dimension.

In the same manner as the FPC substrate for connection 174, the FPCsubstrate for connection 216 includes the same number of connectionpatterns 216 a as that of connection contacts, and a reinforcingsubstrate 218 is attached to the back-surface side of the connectionpatterns 216 a. Further in the connection tip end of the FPC substratefor connection 216 on the insertion side, a side convex portion 216 b isdisposed which is positioned towards the tip end from the connectionpatterns 216 a and which projects on an anti-insertion side (anti-D′direction) of the width direction.

The FPC substrate for connection 216 is connected to the FPC connector206 of the present embodiment including the above-described constitutionas follows. First, the lock member 210 of the FPC connector 208 mountedin the upright state on the rigid substrate 220 is brought into areleased state (lock released state). Subsequently, the tip-endconnection portion of the FPC substrate for connection 216 isslid/inserted along the D′ direction (horizontal direction) parallel tothe D direction between the connector main body 208 and lock member 210.

In the inserted state, as shown in FIG. 25, the FPC substrate forconnection 216 is kept apart from the contact portions 214 a by the FPCsubstrate guide protrusion 208 e of the connector main body 208 in aslightly inclined state. Additionally, the tip end of the FPC substratefor connection 216 is guided by the FPC substrate tip-end guide groove208 c of the connector main body 208. When the FPC substrate forconnection 216 is inclined by a predetermined angle and inserted in thismanner, the FPC substrate for connection 216 can be inserted withoutbeing hooked.

Moreover, the FPC substrate for connection 216 is inserted into a widthdirection limit position, so that the side surface of the substrate fitsinto and abuts on the FPC substrate side-surface guide groove 208 d.Then, the total width of the FPC substrate for connection 216 ispositioned between the FPC substrate side-surface guide groove 208 d andthe inner surface of the FPC substrate guide protrusion 208 e.

After the FPC substrate for connection 216 is inserted into theconnector main body 208 and positioned, the lock member 210 isrotated/operated to the closed position. As shown in. FIG. 26, the claws210 a are engaged with the engaging portions 208 b of the connector mainbody 208 and locked. Then, the connector connected state is obtained.

In the connector connected state, since the side convex portion 216 b ofthe FPC substrate for connection 216 is engaged with the lower endsurface of the FPC substrate guide protrusion 208 e of the connectormain body 208, the FPC substrate for connection 28 is securely preventedfrom coming off in a J direction (see FIG. 26).

When the FPC substrate for connection 216 is disconnected from the FPCconnector 206 in the connected state, the claws 210 a of the lock member210 are detached, and a connector lock member released state isobtained. In this state, the FPC substrate for connection 216 can beextracted along the anti-D′ direction.

In the connector connection/disconnection method, the FPC substrate forconnection 216 is inserted into the D′ direction (horizontal direction)parallel to the D direction which is the arrangement direction of theterminal array 214 c with respect to the FPC connector 206, but thepresent invention is not limited to this. For example, it is alsopossible to insert/remove, connect, or detach the tip-end connectionportion of the FPC substrate for connection 216 along an E direction(vertical direction) crossing at right angles to the D direction.

In this manner, according to the FPC connector 206 of the sixthembodiment, an effect similar to that in the FPC connector 170 of thefifth embodiment is produced. Particularly in the FPC connector 206 ofthe present embodiment, at the inserting/removing time of the FPCsubstrate for connection 216, the substrate is guided by the FPCsubstrate guide protrusion 208 e, FPC substrate tip-end guide groove 208c, and FPC substrate side-surface guide groove 208 d of the connectormain body 208. Therefore, the FPC substrate for connection 216 caneasily be inserted or extracted without hooking the FPC substrate forconnection 216 by the contact portions 214 a of the connection terminalplates 214.

Moreover, since the position of the side convex portion 216 b of the FPCsubstrate for connection 216 is regulated by the undersurface of the FPCsubstrate guide protrusion 208 e of the connector main body 208 in theconnector connected state, the FPC substrate for connection 216 isprevented from coming off in the E direction.

It is to be noted that the come-off preventing function by the sideconvex portion 216 b also works, even when the lock member 210 is in theopened position. For example, it is assumed that the FPC connector 206is applied with the mounting surface of the rigid substrate facingdownwards. In this case, when the FPC substrate for connection 216 isslid/inserted into the FPC connector 206, and even when the lock member210 is not brought into the closed state yet, the FPC substrate forconnection 216 does not come off. This is because the side convexportion 216 b of the FPC substrate for connection 216 is engaged withthe FPC substrate guide protrusion 208 e of the connector main body 208.

Moreover, for the FPC connector 206 of the sixth embodiment, the FPCsubstrate for connection 216 can be inserted/removed along the Dbdirection or along the E direction. Therefore, the appropriateinserting/removing direction of the FPC substrate for connection 216 canbe selected in accordance with the situation of the disposed position ofthe FPC connector 206.

Next, the FPC connector of a seventh embodiment of the present inventionwill be described with reference to FIGS. 27 and 28.

FIG. 27 is a sectional view in the inserted state of the FPC connectorinto the FPC substrate for connection according to the presentembodiment. FIG. 28 is a sectional view of the FPC connector in theconnected state in which the lock member is closed.

Also for an FPC connector 226 of the seventh embodiment is an FPCconnector, an FPC substrate for connection 238 can be inserted into theFPC connector in the arrangement direction of the array of the contactsof the connection terminals, and an insertion/operation property of theFPC substrate for connection 238 into the connector is improved.

As shown in FIGS. 27 and 28, the FPC connector 226 of the presentembodiment is mounted in the upright state on a rigid substrate 242. TheFPC connector 226 mainly includes a connector main body 230, a lockmember 228, a plurality of connection terminal plates 234 held by thelock member 228, and a plurality of substrate terminal plates 236 heldby the connector main body 230.

The connector main body 230 is disposed, while the plurality ofsubstrate terminal plates 236 and a support shaft 232 are fixed underthe main body. Moreover, in the connector main body 230, above thesupport shaft 232, a guide groove 230 c is disposed in which the FPCsubstrate for connection 238 is slid/guided at the insertion time. Theconnector main body 230 also includes a convex portion 230 a which canabut on the rear-surface side of the connection pattern of the FPCsubstrate for connection 238, and an abutment surface 230 b of the FPCsubstrate for connection 238 in the end of the width direction. Furtherin the connector main body 230, an engaging portion (not shown) forengaging with the lock member 228 is disposed.

The substrate terminal plates 236 are formed of the conductive material,and include substrate terminal portions 236 a. Moreover, the substrateterminal plates 236 are soldered and fixed to the connection patternportions of the rigid substrate 242.

The lock member 228 is rotatably supported by the support shaft 232.Moreover, the plurality of connection terminal plates 234 are fixed to aconcave portion 228 a of the lock member 228 on a connector main body230 side, and claws for engagement (not shown) are disposed in the upperend.

The plurality of connection terminal plates 234 are formed of theconductive material. The plurality of connection terminal plates 234include contact portions 234 a and contact spring portions 234 b, andare fixed/supported onto the lock member 228. The contact springportions 234 b have spring properties so as to slide on the substrateterminal plates 236 and to constantly contact the plates. The contactportions 234 a can contact the connection patterns of the FPC substratefor connection 238, and constitute a terminal array (array of connectionterminals) along a direction parallel to the support shaft 232.

In the same manner as the FPC substrate for connection 174, the FPCsubstrate for connection 238 includes the same number of connectionpatterns as that of connection contacts, and a reinforcing substrate 240is attached to the back-surface side of the connection patterns.

The FPC substrate for connection 238 is connected to the FPC connector226 of the seventh embodiment including the above-described constitutionas follows. First, the lock member 228 of the FPC connector 226 mountedin the upright state on the rigid substrate 242 is brought into thereleased state (lock released state). The tip-end connection portion ofthe FPC substrate for connection 238 is slid/inserted on the guidegroove 230 c between the connector main body 230 and lock member 228along the arrangement direction (horizontal direction) which is theterminal array direction (see FIG. 27).

Moreover, in a state in which the width direction end of the FPCsubstrate for connection 238 is attached to the FPC substrate abutmentsurface 230 b, the lock member 228 is rotated to the closed position toobtain the locked state. Then, the contact portions 234 a abut on theconnection patterns of the FPC substrate for connection 238. Since theconnection pattern back-surface side of the FPC substrate for connection238 is supported by the convex portion 230 a of the connector main body230, the contact portions 234 a securely contact the connectionpatterns, and the connector connected state is obtained (see FIG. 28).

To detach the FPC substrate for connection 238 from the FPC connector226 in the connected state, the lock member 228 is in the releasedstate. In this state, the FPC substrate for connection 238 can beextracted along an anti-insertion direction.

In the connector connection/disconnection method, the FPC substrate forconnection 238 is inserted in the direction parallel to the arrangementdirection of the terminal array with respect to the FPC connector 226,but the method is not limited to this. For example, the tip-endconnection portion of the FPC substrate for connection 238 can also beinserted/removed along the direction vertical to the arrangementdirection of the terminal array, connected, or disconnected.

Moreover, the concave portion or the protrusion for positioning the FPCsubstrate for connection 238 in the width direction is disposed in thelock member 228 or the connector main body 230, or the convex portionprojecting to the side of the FPC substrate for connection 238 isdisposed. Accordingly, a structure for preventing the FPC substrate forconnection 238 from deviating from the position or coming off can alsobe incorporated.

In this manner, according to the FPC connector 226 of the seventhembodiment, the FPC substrate for connection 238 is inserted into theconnector as follows. That is, since the lock member 228 holding theconnection terminal plates 234 including the contact portions 234 a isbrought into the released state, the contact portions 234 a are detachedfrom an insertion path of the FPC substrate for connection 238.Therefore, the FPC substrate for connection 238 is not inhibited frombeing inserted by reasons such as the FPC substrate for connection 238hooked by the contact portions 234 a, and a connector connectionoperation is facilitated.

Moreover, for the FPC connector 226 of the present embodiment, the FPCsubstrate for connection 238 can be inserted/removed along thearrangement direction of the terminal array, or along the directioncrossing at right angles to the arrangement direction. Therefore, theappropriate inserting/removing direction of the FPC substrate forconnection 238 can be selected in accordance with the situation of thedisposed position of the FPC connector 226.

Next, the FPC connector which is the connector for connecting the FPCsubstrate according to an eighth embodiment of the present inventionwill be described with reference to FIGS. 29 to 33.

FIG. 29 is a perspective view showing the connected state of the FPCsubstrate for connection into the FPC connector according to the presentembodiment. FIG. 30 is a perspective view of the connector main body ofthe FPC connector. FIG. 31 is a diagram of the released state of thelock member with respect to the connector main body seen from an F1direction of FIG. 30 in the FPC connector. FIG. 32 is a diagram of theclosed state of the lock member with respect to the connector main bodyseen from an F2 direction of FIG. 30 in the FPC connector. FIG. 33 is asectional view of the FPC connector in the connected state of the FPCsubstrate for connection into the FPC connector.

As shown in FIGS. 29 and 33, an FPC connector 248 of the eighthembodiment is mounted in the upright state with respect to a rigidsubstrate 260. The FPC connector 248 mainly includes a connector mainbody 250, a lock member 252, and a plurality of connection terminalplates 254 held by the connector main body 250.

The connector main body 250 includes a plurality of terminal containingconcave portions 250 a, an engaging portion 250 b in the main body upperpart, and a U-shaped guide groove 250 b opened on one main body side andupper side and extending along a shown arrow E direction. The connectormain body 250 also includes a stopper 250 e disposed on the other sideof the main body, and a guide wall 250 f for guiding the lock member 252extended downwards below the stopper 250 e.

The lock member 252 includes an projecting insertion portion 252 aincluding an FPC substrate press portion 252 b, a claw portion 252 cwhich can engage with the engaging portion 250 b of the connector mainbody 250, and an arm portion 252 d including a protrusion 252 e on oneside.

The insertion portion 252 a of the lock member 252 is inserted into theguide groove 250 b of the connector main body 250 and concave portions254 c of the connection terminal plates 254 described later in aninitial inclined state (state shown by a broken line of FIG. 33).Accordingly, a completely inserted state (state shown by a solid line ofFIG. 38) is obtained. In the initial inclined state, the protrusion 252e of the lock member 252 abuts on the stopper 250 e of the connectormain body 250, and prevents the lock member 252 from coming off (seeFIG. 31). When the insertion portion 252 a moves into the completelyinserted state from the initial inclined state, the protrusion 252 e isguided along the guide wall 250 f of the connector main body 250 tomove.

It is to be noted that when the protrusion 252 e abuts on the stopper250 e in the initial inclined state, a chamfered portion of theprotrusion 252 e contacts the guide wall 250 f, and the lock member 252can be inclined as shown in FIG. 31.

The connection terminal plates 254 are formed of the conductivematerial, and include convex FPC substrate contact portions 254 a,substrate terminal portions 254 b, and concave portions 254 c. Theconnection terminal plates 254 are fixed/held in the terminal containingconcave portions 250 a of the connector main body 250 (see FIG. 33).

The same number of contact portions 254 a of the connection terminalplates 254 as that of connection contacts are exposed and disposed inthe projecting state from the FPC substrate insertion surface of theguide groove 250 b of the connector main body 250 by the smalldimension. Moreover, the contact portions 254 a form the terminal array(array of connection terminals) along the D direction which is the widthdirection of the connector main body 250.

An FPC substrate for connection 256 includes the same number ofconnection patterns as that of connection contacts, and a reinforcingsubstrate 258 is attached to the back-surface side of the connectionpatterns.

The FPC substrate for connection 256 is connected to the FPC connector248 of the seventh embodiment including the above-described constitutionas follows.

First, the lock member 252 is lifted up to the position of the initialinclined state (FIG. 31). When the lock member 252 is in the position ofthe initial inclined state, the member retreats from theinserting/removing path of the FPC substrate for connection 256. In thisstate, the FPC substrate for connection 256 avoids the contact portions254 a of the connection terminal plates 254 and is inserted along theU-shaped guide groove 250 b from the D direction. Then, while theprotrusion 252 e of the lock member 252 is guided into the guide wall250 f, the member is pushed into the position of the completely insertedstate (state shown by a solid line of FIG. 33).

In the completely inserted state, the plurality of connection patternsof the FPC substrate for connection 256 are pressed by the FPC substratepress portion 252 b of the lock member 252 inserted in the concaveportions 254 c of the connection terminal plates 254. Moreover, theseconnection patterns abut on the contact portions 254 a of the connectionterminal plates 254, and is brought into the connector connected state.It is to be noted that in this state the connection terminal plates 252are elastically deformed in a left direction in FIG. 33.

Accordingly, the contact portions 254 a of the connection terminalplates 254 contact the connection patterns of the FPC substrate forconnection 256 in the predetermined contact pressure. The lock member252 is engaged with the claw portion 252 c of the connector main body250 in the completely inserted state.

To remove the FPC substrate for connection 256 from the FPC connector248 in the connected state, the lock member 252 is lifted up into theposition of the initial inclined state (see FIG. 31). In this state, theFPC substrate for connection 256 can be extracted along the D directionshown in FIG. 29, or the E direction.

According to the FPC connector 248 of the above-described embodiment,the present invention can be applied to a case in which there is not aspace for opening/closing/rotating the lock member around the FPCconnector, and the lock member 252 is moved substantially in a verticaldirection while changing an inclination angle of the member.Accordingly, the FPC substrate for connection 256 can beattached/detached from the D direction or E direction.

For the FPC connector in the above-described fifth to eighthembodiments, a vertical-type connector mounted in the upright state onthe rigid substrate has been described, but the scope of the presentinvention is not limited to the vertical-type connector mounted on therigid substrate. For example, the similar structure can also be appliedto a vertical-type connector mounted on the FPC substrate, or ahorizontal-type connector mounted on the rigid substrate or FPCsubstrate, and the similar effect is obtained.

The following embodiments have been disclosed in Japanese patentapplication No. 2002-171593 filed on Jun. 12, 2002, in Japan, the entirecontents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

Next, a ninth embodiment of the present invention will be described.

FIG. 34 is a perspective view seen obliquely from above the front of thecamera on the right side in the ninth embodiment of the presentinvention. As shown in FIG. 34, a lens body tube 272 including aphotography optical system for photographing a subject is disposed in afront surface middle portion of a camera exterior housing 270 whichforms a camera main body.

Moreover, a window for AF 274 for focusing the subject is disposedobliquely above the left side of the lens body tube 272. A finder window276 for optically observing the subject is disposed above the lens bodytube 272. A strobe light emitting window 278 for irradiating the subjectis disposed in the upper part of a front surface on the right side ofthe camera exterior housing 270. Furthermore, a release button 280 forstarting photography is disposed on the left side of the upper surfaceof the camera exterior housing 270.

It is to be noted that for the camera exterior housing 270 in thepresent embodiment, a ridge line portion connecting the front surface tothe upper surface is formed by an inclined surface 282 including acurved surface curved toward the front surface in order to miniaturizethe camera and to enhance design.

For example, two large-capacity condensers for flash light emission aredisposed in the camera exterior housing 270 including the inclinedsurface 282 as shown in FIG. 35. FIG. 35 shows the disposed position ofthe condensers for the flash light emission, and is a longitudinalsectional view of the camera exterior housing 270 along line C4-C4 inFIG. 34.

As shown in FIG. 35, two large-capacity condensers for flash lightemission (hereinafter referred to simply as the condensers) 286, 288 areformed in columnar shapes different in length from each other. Thesecondensers 286, 288 are disposed in a position disposed opposite to anexterior wall 284 on the right side of the front surface of the cameraexterior housing 270 (see FIG. 34). Additionally, one end surface (upperend surface) of each of the condensers 286, 288 is disposed along theinner wall of the inclined surface 282 with a step. Moreover, thecondensers 286, 288 are connected to lead terminals for electricconnection 292, 294 projecting from the upper surface by an FPCsubstrate 290.

That is, the one condenser 286 is formed in a shape whose length isshorter than that of the other condenser 288. Moreover, the upper endsurface of the condenser 286 is positioned opposite to the inclinedsurface 282 formed in the camera exterior housing 270, and a part of theside surface in the longitudinal direction is disposed in the vicinityof the front surface inner wall. That is, the condenser 286 is formed inthe shape disposed in the position. The lead terminals 292 are formed inone end surface (upper end surface) to extend in the longitudinaldirection.

The other condenser 288 is formed to be longer than the one condenser286, and is disposed in a parallel position with respect to thelongitudinal direction of the condenser 286. Additionally, the condenser288 is disposed adjacent such that the other end surface (lower endsurface) of each of the condensers 286, 288 is in the same plane.

In this manner, since the condenser 286 is disposed adjacent to thecondenser 288, the space is saved. In one end surface (upper endsurface) of the condenser 288, the lead terminals 294 are formed toextend in the longitudinal direction.

It is to be noted that the condensers 286, 288 are connected to a flashlight emission circuit (not shown) built in the camera exterior housing270, and supply a voltage for applying a high voltage to an emissiondischarge tube (not shown).

Next, means for connecting the lead terminals 292, 294 of the condensers286, 288 to each other will be described. FIG. 36 is an enlargedperspective view showing the connected state of the condensers 286, 288,and FIG. 37 is an enlarged front view of the FPC substrate forconnecting the condensers.

As shown in FIG. 36, the condensers 286, 288 are disposed adjacent toeach other in the parallel position with respect to the longitudinaldirection so that the other end surfaces (lower end surfaces) are in thesame plane. As a result, the lead terminals 292, 294 in one end surfaces(upper end surfaces) disposed with the step are constituted to beconnected by the FPC substrate 290.

Here, as shown in FIG. 37, the FPC substrate 290 includes through holes298, 300 for the lead terminals of the condensers described later, whichare formed to pass through the rear surface from the front surface ofthe FPC substrate 290. In peripheral edges of the through holes 298,300, solder lands for the lead terminals 306, 308 formed on the surfaceof the FPC substrate 290 are disposed so as to connect the leadterminals 292, 294 of the condensers 286, 288 to each other.

Furthermore, the FPC substrate 290 includes solder lands 302 formed inthe surface of the substrate and connected to lead wires for flash lightemission circuit connection 304. Furthermore, the FPC substrate 290includes conductive patterns 296 for connecting the solder lands 302,306, and 308 to one another. It is to be noted that for the solder landsfor flash light emission circuit connection 302 and the solder lands forthe lead terminals 306, 308, a copper foil exposed by the opening of thecover lay film of the FPC substrate 290 is subjected to variouspredetermined treatments such as a rust proofing treatment and solderplating.

Turning back to FIG. 36, the lead terminals 292, 294 formed in thecondensers 286, 288 are passed through the through holes 298, 300 of theFPC substrate 290. Furthermore, when the lead terminals 292, 294 aresoldered to the solder lands 306, 308 formed on the surface of the FPCsubstrate 290, the condenser 286 is electrically connected in parallelwith the condenser 288.

Moreover, for the condensers 286, 288, the condenser 288 is formed to belonger with respect to the longitudinal direction as described above,and the condensers 286, 288 are juxtaposed adjacent to each other withrespect to the longitudinal direction. Therefore, the FPC substrate 290for connecting the condensers to each other is formed in a shapeextending along the step between the condensers 286, 288. Moreover, thesolder lands 302 of the FPC substrate 290 are connected to the leadwires 304, and connected to the flash light emission circuit (not shown)by the lead wires 304.

The camera in the ninth embodiment constituted in this manner is formedin a curved-surface shape including the inclined surface 282 in order torealize the miniaturization of the camera exterior housing 270. However,two condensers 286, 288 different in length are used in thelarge-capacitor condensers for flash light emission for use. Moreover,the one-end surfaces of the condensers 286, 288 are disposed with thestep along the inner wall of the inclined surface 282, and both thecondensers are disposed adjacent to each other in the vicinity of theouter wall inner surface of the camera exterior housing. Therefore, thelarge-capacity condensers 286, 288 can efficiently be disposed in thecamera exterior housing 270.

Furthermore, the condensers 286, 288 are connected in parallel with eachother by the FPC substrate 290. Therefore, since two condensers 286, 288are first connected to the FPC substrate 290 and can then be assembledinto the camera, the stress onto the lead terminals 292, 294 can bereduced. Additionally, operation efficiency can be enhanced, andoperation process can be simplified.

It is to be noted that the condensers 286, 288 have been described asthe condensers for flash light emission, but the present invention isnot limited to this. For example, needless to say, the condensers mayalso be applied to condensers for power supply for use in light emittingelements such as an LED for AF focusing confirmation in a finder, an LEDfor strobe charge confirmation, and an LED for self timer. Moreover,needless to say, the shape of the condenser is not limited to thecolumnar shape, and may also be a polyangular pillar including apolygonal shape.

Furthermore, the lead terminals 292, 294 on the one-end surfaces (upperend surfaces) of the condensers 286, 288 are connected to one another bythe FPC substrate 290, but the present invention is not limited to this.

For example, in a tenth embodiment of the present invention, as shown inFIG. 38, both condensers 314, 316 are vertically reversed, and thecondensers 314, 316 are disposed so that the end surfaces are on thesame plane. Moreover, even when lead terminals 320, 322 extended fromthe respective one-end surfaces are connected to each other by an FPCsubstrate 318, the similar effect can, needless to say, be obtained.Instead of the FPC substrate, the rigid substrate may also be used.

As described above, according to the ninth and tenth embodiments, when aplurality of condensers are disposed in the camera exterior housing, thecondensers are connected to each other by the FPC substrate, andaccordingly a degree of freedom can be imparted in the longitudinaldirection. Therefore, the condensers can efficiently be disposed in asmall-sized camera which has a curved surface shape in an outer wall,and the camera can be miniaturized and enhanced in sophisticated design.The steps at a camera assembling time comprise: connecting a pluralityof condensers to the FPC substrate; and subsequently attaching thecondensers into the camera body. Therefore, there can be provided thecamera in which the stress into the lead terminals formed on thecondensers can be reduced.

The following embodiments have been disclosed in Japanese patentapplication No. 2002-177432 filed on Jun. 18, 2002, in Japan, the entirecontents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

Next, an eleventh embodiment of the present invention will be described.

FIG. 39 is an exploded perspective view schematically showing a wholeconstitution of the camera according to the eleventh embodiment of thepresent invention. FIG. 40 is an exploded perspective view extractingand showing a part (camera main body) of the camera and members such asa circuit substrate to be attached to the part. FIG. 41 is a perspectiveview of an assembled state of constituting members of FIG. 40. FIG. 42is a main part enlarged transverse sectional view along line C5-C5 ofFIG. 41.

As shown in FIG. 39, the camera of the eleventh embodiment comprisesbasic constituting members such as a camera main body 330, photographylens unit 332, finder unit 334, front cover member 336, and a back covermember 338.

The camera main body 330 is a basic part of the present camera. Thephotography lens unit 332 is attached to the camera main body 330, andis constituted of a photography lens 332 a, a photography lens body tubeholding the lens, and the like.

The finder unit 334 is attached to the camera main body 330, andincludes a finder optical system, and the like. The front cover member336 is an exterior member with which the camera main body 330 is coveredon a front-surface side. The back cover member 338 is an exterior memberwith which the side surfaces, upper surface, and bottom surface of thecamera main body 330 are covered.

Moreover, this camera includes a back lid member 340 disposed so as tobe openable/closable between a position where the camera main body 330is covered on a rear-surface side and a position where the main body isexposed.

Hinge portions 340 b disposed in one side edge of the back lid member340 are connected to a hinge portion 338 b disposed in one side edge ofthe back cover member 338 by a shaft member 338 c. Accordingly, the backlid member 340 is supported on the shaft so as to be rotatable in ashown arrow G direction of FIG. 39.

Moreover, when the back lid member 340 is brought into a closed state,the following results. That is, when engaging claws 340 a formed on theother side edge of the back lid member 340 engage with engaged portions(not shown) formed in predetermined positions on a back cover member 338side, the closed state of the back lid member 340 is held. Additionally,a disengagement mechanism (not shown) for canceling the closed state ofthe back lid member 340 is disposed in the back lid member 340 and backcover member 338, which is similar to a related-art conventional cameraconstitution.

In a one-end portion of the back lid member 340, as shown also in FIG.42, a battery chamber 340 c is formed in which a battery 366 as a mainpower source of the present camera is contained so as to beattachable/detachable. Accordingly, in the one-side edge of the back lidmember 340, a battery chamber lid 340 b by which the battery chamber 340c is openable/closable is disposed so as to be rotatable with respect tothe back lid member 340 (refer to FIG. 42 for details).

In the back cover member 338 on the upper-surface side, variousoperation members are disposed such as a shutter release button 342 forgenerating an instruction signal of a photography operation, and a zoomlever 344 for generating the instruction signal of a variablemagnification operation. It is to be noted that only operation membersdescribed herein are shown in the figures, and the other operationmembers are omitted from the figures.

Moreover, a main condenser 348 a in condensers for flash light emission348 described later can be attached on a one-end side in the back covermember 338. That is, a condenser receiving portion 338 d is formed whosesection is formed substantially in a circular arc shape in accordancewith an outer shape of the main condenser 348 a (see FIGS. 39, 42).

Furthermore, the photography lens unit 332 is disposed in the vicinityof substantially the middle part of the camera main body 330. Acartridge chamber 330 c (not shown in FIG. 39. See FIG. 42) and a filmcontaining chamber 330 e are formed in opposite ends of the camera mainbody 330 to hold the photography lens unit 332.

The cartridge chamber 330 c is an inner space formed so that a filmcartridge 360 (see FIG. 42) can be loaded so as to beattachable/detachable. The film cartridge 360 in which a rolled film fortaking photographs (hereinafter referred to simply as the film) 360 a iswound around is contained in the cartridge chamber 330 c.

In the camera main body 330, DX code contacts 330 f are disposed in anouter wall portion of a position where the cartridge chamber 360 c isformed on the front-surface side. In the cartridge chamber 360 c, the DXcode contacts 330 f are connected to contacts (not shown) disposed inportions which are to contact DX codes of the loaded film cartridge 360.

Moreover, the film containing chamber 360 e is an inner space in whichthe film 360 a extracted from the film cartridge 360 loaded in thecartridge chamber 330 c is contained with a predetermined photographyoperation of the camera. Inside the film containing chamber 360 e, aspool 330 b around which the film 360 a is wound is rotatably disposed.

The photography lens unit 332 is fixed by screws 332 b on thefront-surface side with respect to the camera main body 330. The finderunit 334 is disposed on an upper-portion side of the photography lensunit 332.

In this case, the finder unit 334 is fixed to a fixing portion of thecamera main body 330 by screws 334 a.

Two condensers for flash light emission 348 including the main condenser348 a and a sub-condenser 348 b are disposed in one side edge of thecamera main body 330. The condensers for flash light emission 348 aredisposed to accumulate a charge for flash light emission, and twodivided condensers are disposed so as to miniaturize the size whilesecuring a charge capacity necessary for the flash light emission.

The main condenser 348 a and sub-condenser 348 b are juxtaposed in thevicinity so that outer-diameter portions substantially abut on eachother. Accordingly, wall surfaces 330 a, 330 b (not shown in FIG. 39.See FIGS. 40, 42.) are formed in predetermined positions on the side ofthe camera main body 330 and in portions in which the main andsub-condensers 348 a, 348 b are to be disposed. That is, the sections ofthe condensers are formed substantially in circular arc shapes inaccordance with the shapes of the outer-diameter portions of the mainand sub-condensers 348 a, 348 b.

Moreover, the.main and sub-condensers 348 a, 348 b are attached to thewall surfaces 330 a, 330 b of the camera main body 330 and the condenserreceiving portion 338 d of the back cover member 338, for example, by adouble-faced tape.

In the camera main body 330 formed in this manner, the front covermember 336 and back cover member 338 are disposed so as to cover theouter surface of the main body. In this case, the front cover member 336and back cover member 338 are integrally fixed by screws 338 a on therear-surface side.

On the other hand, on the outer-surface side of the camera main body330, as shown in FIG. 40, an electric substrate on which a plurality ofelectric components 352 d are mounted is disposed. The electricsubstrates such as a plurality of electric circuit substrates includingthe FPC substrate, that is, a main substrate 352 (first electric circuitsubstrate), a sub-substrate 354 (second electric circuit substrate), anda DX substrate 356 are disposed in predetermined positions,respectively.

On the main substrate 352, various electric circuits such as a controlcircuit of the present camera are mounted. The sub-substrate 354 has anaccompanying function with respect to the electric component disposed onthe rear-surface side of the present camera. The DX substrate 356 isconnected to the DX code contacts 330 f which contact the DX codes ofthe film cartridge 360.

Moreover, for these plurality of electric circuit substrates, thepredetermined electric circuit substrates are connected to each other bypredetermined connection means. For this connection means, for example,connection portions 352 a, 354 a, 356 a of the main substrate 352 (firstelectric circuit substrate), sub-substrate 354 (second electric circuitsubstrate), and DX substrate 356 are stacked, disposed, andscrewed/fixed. In this manner, the means is constituted to include abase for connection 350 for disposing and positioning the respectiveelectric circuit substrates 352, 354, 356 in the respectivepredetermined positions.

In this case, the base for connection 350 is attached to the outerperipheral surfaces of the main and sub-condensers 348 a, 348 b, thatis, outer wall surfaces 348 d, 348 e (see FIG. 42) of the main andsub-condensers 348 a, 348 b. This is bonded, for example, by adouble-faced tape 362, and the like.

Moreover, a section of a lower end 350 c of the base for connection 350is formed substantially in an L-shape. Furthermore, the arm portionabuts on the bottom surface of the sub-condenser 348 b to perform afunction of positioning the sub-condenser 348 b in the verticaldirection (details are not shown). It is to be noted that the bottomsurface of the main condenser 348 a abuts on a predetermined fixingportion 330 g (see FIG. 40) of the camera main body 330 to define theposition of the main condenser 348 a in the vertical direction.

Furthermore, at least one of the electric circuit substrates (352, 354,356) fixed/disposed onto the base for connection 350 is fixed as shownin FIG. 42. At least one of the electric circuit substrates (352, 354,356) is fixed to the outer-diameter portions, that is, the outer wallsurfaces 348 d, 348 e of two main and sub-condensers 348 a, 348 b, forexample, by the double-faced tape 362.

As described above, the main and sub-condensers 348 a, 348 b arejuxtaposed in the vicinity so that the outer-diameter portionssubstantially abut on each other. Therefore, a space (hereinafterreferred to as the triangular space) 348 c including a substantiallytriangular section is formed in the peripheral edges of the main andsub-condensers 348 a, 348 b. This space includes a substantiallytriangular section including a contact on which the main andsub-condensers 348 a, 348 b abut as one vertex, and a tangent lineconnecting the outer-diameter portions of the main and sub-condensers348 a, 348 b to each other as a bottom side.

Then, in the eleventh embodiment, the base for connection 350 isdisposed in the triangular space 348 c, and accordingly the inner spaceof the camera is effectively used.

With respect to the base for connection 350, as shown in FIGS. 40 and41, the connection portion 352 a of the main substrate 352, theconnection portion 354 a of the sub-substrate 354, and the connectionportion 356 a of the DX substrate 356 are superposed on one another andconnected to one another. These are fixed by screws 364 a, 364 b.

In this case, two screw holes 350 a, 350 b are formed in the base forconnection 350. In one screw hole 350 a, as shown in FIG. 40, theconnection portion 356 a of the DX substrate 356, and a portion 352 babove the connection portion 352 a of the main substrate 352 are fixedby the screw 364 a.

Moreover, in the other screw hole 350 b of the base for connection 350,as shown in FIGS. 40 and 42, the connection portion 354 a of thesub-substrate 354, and a portion 352 c under the connection portion 352a of the main substrate 352 are fixed by the screw 364 b.

Furthermore, connection washers 364 c and connection rubbers 364 d areheld between the screws 364 a, 364 b and the respective substrates (352,354, 356).

As shown in FIGS. 41, 42, the main substrate 352 positioned by the basefor connection 350 in this manner is disposed so as to cover the outerwall portion of the cartridge chamber 330 c of the camera main body 330on the front-surface side and the camera main body 330 on theupper-surface side.

Moreover, the sub-substrate 354 is disposed on the rear-surface sidefrom the side-surface portion of the camera main body 330, and isconnected to a predetermined electric member (not shown) disposed in theback lid member 340. Accordingly, electric connection of thepredetermined electric member to the main substrate 352 is secured viathe sub-substrate 354 and base for connection 350.

Furthermore, the DX substrate 356 is connected to the DX code contacts330 f extracted from the inner contacts of the cartridge chamber 330 c.Accordingly, a control circuit (not shown) disposed in the mainsubstrate 352 can read the DX codes of the film cartridge 360 via thebase for connection 350, DX substrate 356, and DX code contacts 330 f.

As described above, according to the eleventh embodiment, the followingeffect is obtained. The base for connection 350 for fixing/disposing theplurality of electric circuit substrates (352, 354, 356) is disposed inthe triangular space 348 c by two main and sub-condensers 348 a, 348 bjuxtaposed in the predetermined positions in the camera main body 330.Accordingly, the inner space of the camera can effectively be used.Therefore, this can contribute to the miniaturization of the camera.

In this manner, in the eleventh embodiment, the base for connection 350is disposed in the triangular space 348 c and used to secure theconnection of the plurality of electric circuit substrates (352, 354,356) in the present camera and to position the substrates in theconstitution. The triangular space 348 c includes a substantiallytriangular section including the contact on which two main andsubcondensers 348 a, 348 b abut as one vertex, and the tangent lineconnecting the outer-diameter portions of two main and sub-condensers348 a, 348 b to each other as the bottom side.

However, it is easy to constitute the triangular space 348 c such thatnot only the base for connection 350 in the eleventh embodiment but alsothe other members are disposed in the space.

Next, a twelfth embodiment of the present invention will be described.

In the twelfth embodiment of the present invention, some of theplurality of electric components mounted on the predetermined electriccircuit substrate are disposed in the triangular space 348 c formed bytwo main and sub-condensers 348 a, 348 b.

Means by the twelfth embodiment is also one example for effectivelyusing the inner space of the camera to realize the miniaturization ofthe camera per se.

It is to be noted that the constitution of the twelfth embodiment isbasically substantially similar to that of the eleventh embodiment. Thatis, the present embodiment is different only in the member disposed inthe triangular space (348 c) formed by the main and sub-condensers (348a, 348 b) juxtaposed in the predetermined positions in the camera mainbody (330). Therefore, the same constituting members as those of theeleventh embodiment are denoted with the same reference numerals,detailed description thereof is omitted, and only the different respectwill be described hereinafter.

FIG. 43 is a main part enlarged sectional view showing a part of thecamera according to the twelfth embodiment of the present invention.This FIG. 43 shows the vicinity of the portion in the camera of thepresent embodiment, corresponding to the section along line C5-C5 ofFIG. 41 in the camera of the above-described eleventh embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 43, in the present embodiment, the base for connection(350) in the above-described eleventh embodiment is removed in a mode.Moreover, a part of a predetermined electric circuit substrate 368 isbonded to the outer wall surfaces 348 d, 348 e on the outer peripheralsurface of the main and sub-condensers 348 a, 348 b, for example, usinga double-faced tape 370, and the like.

Moreover, in this case, at least one electric component 368 a of theplurality of electric components mounted on the predetermined electriccircuit substrate 368 is constituted to be disposed in the triangularspace 348 c.

The other constitution is substantially similar to that of the eleventhembodiment.

According to the twelfth embodiment constituted in this manner, theinner space of the camera can effectively be used. This is becauseelectric components 426 a mounted on a predetermined electric circuitsubstrate 426 are disposed in the triangular space 348 c formed by themain and sub-condensers 348 a, 348 b juxtaposed in the predeterminedposition in the camera main body 330.

This can contribute to the miniaturization of the camera in the samemanner as in the eleventh embodiment.

According to the above-described eleventh and twelfth embodiments, theinvention constituted as follows can be obtained.

(1) A camera comprising:

-   -   two column-shaped condensers for flash light emission which are        juxtaposed to each other in the same direction and which are        disposed in the vicinity so as to allow outer-diameter portions        to abut on each other and in which a charge for flash light        emission is stored;    -   a first electric circuit substrate;    -   a second electric circuit substrate; and    -   a member for connection, which is disposed in a space including        a substantially triangular section formed between the two        condensers for flash light emission and which connects the first        electric circuit substrate to the second electric circuit        substrate.

(2) The camera according to the above (1), wherein the member forconnection is a base for connection on which connection portions of thefirst and second electric circuit substrates are superposed andpositioned.

(3) The camera according to the above (2), wherein the base forconnection is formed to have a triangular shape which substantiallymatches with the space including the substantially triangular section.

(4) The camera according to the above (3), wherein the base forconnection is allowed to abut on outer peripheries of the two condensersfor flash light emission and fixed to the condenser.

The following embodiments have been disclosed in Japanese patentapplication No. 2002-177048 filed on Jun. 18, 2002, in Japan, the entirecontents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

Next, a thirteenth embodiment of the present invention will bedescribed.

FIG. 44 is a block diagram showing an electronic circuit constitution ofthe camera according to the thirteenth embodiment of the presentinvention.

A microcontroller (hereinafter referred to as CPU) 380 is a control unitfor controlling an operation sequence of the entire camera. The CPU 380is connected to a main switch 380 a and release switch 380 b. The CPU380 judges input states of the main switch 380 a and release switch 380b to perform a corresponding operation control. When a photographerjudges that the main switch 380 a has been operated, the camera isbrought into a state in which the photography is possible, andphotography information is displayed in an LCD 382 as a display device.

FIGS. 45A and 45B are appearance diagrams of a compact camera showingone example of the camera according to the present embodiment. Thecompact camera includes a protective member for protecting opticalsystems such as a photography lens 436 and finder objective lens 434disposed in a camera front surface, so-called “barrier” 432 in manycases.

In a camera 430 including the barrier 432, a power supply of the cameramain body is turned ON/OFF in accordance with an opened/closed state ofthe barrier 432 detected by a barrier switch 380 a shown in FIG. 45B inmany cases. (Hereinafter, the barrier switch 380 a is treated in thesame manner as the main switch 380 a, and referred to as the main switch380 a.) That is, as shown in FIG. 45A, when the barrier 432 is opened,the main switch 380 a turns ON and the photography is possible. On theother hand, as shown in FIG. 45B, when the barrier 432 is closed, themain switch 380 a turns OFF to prohibit the photography.

Moreover, when the release switch 380 b shown in FIGS. 45A and 45B isoperated, an exposure control is started.

Furthermore, an analog/digital (A/D) conversion portion 380 c is builtin the CPU 380. A voltage is inputted into the A/D conversion portion380 c from a strobe device described later in detail. The A/D conversionportion 380 c A/D converts the inputted voltage. The CPU 380 judgeswhether or not charging of the main condenser for flash light emissiondescribed later has been completed by the A/D converted voltage.

The display portion (hereinafter referred to as LCD) 382 is disposed inthe upper surface of the camera main body 430, and displays thephotography information, and the like. As shown in FIG. 46, the LCD formany cameras includes a date display portion 382 a which is a region fordisplay a photography date, a frame number display portion 382 b whichis a region for displaying the number of photography frames of the film,and the like.

It is to be noted that the CPU 380 is usually connected to the LCD 382by 20 signal lines in order to display a segment constituting theabove-described date display portion 382 a or frame number displayportion 382 b. Therefore, it is preferable to mount the CPU 380, LCD382, and signal lines for connecting these to each other on the sameprinted substrate. That is, when the CPU 380 and LCD 382 are mounted onseparate printed boards, the condenser requiring very many electrodes isnecessary, this results in cost rise, or the space at the mounting timeis also disadvantage.

A photometry (AE) portion 384 measures brightness of a subject, and isconstituted of so-called photoelectric conversion elements whose outputsignals change in response to intensity of incident light, such as CdSand photodiode. The subject brightness measured by the AE portion 384 isused for the CPU 380 in performing exposure calculation.

A DX read portion 386 reads electrode pattern information formed in afilm cartridge (not shown), that is, the DX codes. Film sensitivityinformation is recorded in the DX codes, and the film sensitivityinformation read by the DX read portion 386 is outputted to the CPU 380.The CPU 380 performs the exposure calculation based on the subjectbrightness measured by the AE portion 384 and the film sensitivityinformation to determine a shutter speed or diaphragm at an exposuretime. At the exposure time, a strobe light emitting portion 398 shown inFIG. 45A is allowed to emit the light to judge whether or not thesubject is irradiated with light.

A shutter portion 388 is controlled by the CPU 380, and a film (notshown) is exposed by a predetermined amount based on the shutter speedand diaphragm determined by the above-described exposure calculation.

A film wind portion (hereinafter referred to as the WIND portion) 390 ais constituted of a motor for film supply, and winds the film afterphotography end. That is, when the photography ends, the CPU 380controls the motor of the WIND portion 390 a to wind the film by oneframe. At this time, a dating portion 390 b is controlled to superimposea photography date on a photographed image. The dating portion 390 birradiates the film with a light having a predetermined pattern from alight source including LED to superimpose date information on aphotograph print.

A DC/DC converter 392 is a circuit for varying a direct-current voltage.In a battery 394 for use as a power supply of the camera, at a chargingcontrol time of the strobe device described later in detail, muchcurrent flows, and the voltage becomes unstable. Moreover, when thepower supply voltage becomes unstable, the CPU 380 or another circuithas a possibility of performing an erroneous operation. Then, when theDC/DC converter 392 controls the power supply voltage to stabilize thepower supply voltage, the erroneous operation of the CPU 380 isprevented.

It is to be noted that in FIG. 44 constituting elements other than theabove-described elements relate to a flash light emitting device.Details of the flash light emitting device will be described later.

FIG. 47 is a flowchart of a main operation control in the cameracontrolled by the CPU 380 according to the present embodiment.

First, it is judged in step S1 whether or not the photographer hasopened the barrier 432, that is, whether or not the main switch 380 ahas been turned ON. When the main switch 380 a is judged to be OFF, thestep shifts to step S2. After turning OFF the display of the LCD 382,the control of the present flowchart ends.

On the other hand, when the main switch 382 a is judged to be turned ONin the judgment of the step S1, the step shifts to step S3 to allow theLCD 382 to display the photography information such as the photographedframe number. Accordingly, the photographer can recognize that thecamera can perform the photography.

After displaying the photographed frame number in the LCD 382, it isjudged in step S4 whether or not the photographer has turned ON therelease switch 380 b. When the release switch 380 b is judged not to beturned ON, the step shifts to step S5 to judge whether or not the mainswitch 380 a remains to be ON. When the main switch 380 a is judged toremain to be ON, the step returns to the step S4. On the other hand, itis judged in the judgment of the step S5 that the main switch 380 a hasbeen turned OFF, the step returns to the step S2, the LCD 382 display isturned OFF, and subsequently the control of the present flowchart ends.

When it is judged in the judgment of the step S4 that the release switch380 b has been turned ON, the step shifts to step S6, and the AE portion384 performs a photometry operation for measuring the brightness of thesubject. Next, in step S7, the DX read portion 386 reads the DX code ofthe film cartridge (not shown), and identifies the information such asthe film sensitivity. Moreover, in step S8, the exposure amount isdetermined from the subject brightness measured in the step S6 and thefilm sensitivity information read in the step S7. In step S9, it isjudged whether or not to emit the light from the strobe light emittingportion 398 at the exposure time.

When it is judged in the judgment of the step S9 that the light isemitted from the strobe light emitting portion 398 to perform theexposure, the step shifts to step S10, the light is emitted from thestrobe light emitting portion 398, and the subject is irradiated withthe light. Additionally, the shutter portion 388 is controlled toperform the exposure. On the other hand, when it is judged that thestrobe light emitting portion 398 is not allowed to emit the light andthe exposure is not performed, the step shifts to step S11, and theshutter portion 388 is controlled as such to perform the exposure.

After the exposure ends, the step shifts to step S12, and the WINDportion 390 a is controlled to wind the film. In step S13, the datingportion 390 b is controlled to superimpose the date onto the film. Afterthe winding of the film ends, the WIND portion 390 a isstopped/controlled in step S14, and subsequently the step returns to thestep S1.

Next, the flash light emitting device for use in the step S10 will bedescribed.

That is, in FIG. 44, the flash light emitting device comprises a maincondenser 396, xenon (flash light emitting) tube 398 a, trigger circuit400, and transistors 402, 404. The flash light emitting device alsocomprises a transformer for charging 406 as one of a plurality ofelectric elements for charging the main condenser 396, diodes 408 a, 408b, and resistances 410 a, 410 b.

In the flash light emitting device, the energy of the main condenser 396raised/charged to the high voltage is supplied to the xenon tube 398 a,and the xenon tube 398 a is allowed to emit the light. Accordingly, thestrobe light emitting portion 398 emits the light. At this time, twoimportant controls are performed by the CPU 380.

One is a “charging control” for charging the main condenser 396. At thistime, the CPU 380 turns ON/OFF the transistors 402, 404 which aresemiconductor switches at the high speed, and the high voltage isaccordingly generated in a secondary winding of the transformer forcharging 406. The high voltage is charged to the main condenser 396 atthe high voltage via the diodes 408 a, 408 b for rectification. The highvoltage generated in the secondary winding of the transformer forcharging 406 is divided via the resistances 410 a, 410 b, andsubsequently A/D converted by the A/D conversion portion 380 c in theCPU 380. The CPU 380 judges by the voltage whether or not the chargingof the main condenser 396 has been completed.

Another important control in the light emission control of the flashlight emitting device is a “trigger control”. When the charging of themain condenser 396 is judged to have been completed, the CPU 380performs ON control of a thyristor 412 in the trigger circuit 400.Accordingly, the high voltage is generated in a trigger transformer 416by the energy stored in a trigger condenser 414. By this high voltage, axenon gas in the xenon tube 398 a is ionized. In this state, when theenergy stored in the main condenser 396 is supplied to the xenon tube398 a, the xenon tube 398 a discharges electricity/emits light.

In the light emission control of the above-described flash lightemitting device, components for exclusive use in the flash lightemitting device are required. This component needs to be a large-sizedcomponent which can bear even the above-described high voltage, and itis difficult to miniaturize the component. That is, when the arrangementat the camera assembling time is studied, the arrangement of thelarge-sized component is devised to determine the size of the entirecamera.

FIG. 48 is an upper-surface sectional view of the camera according tothe thirteenth embodiment. That is, in the present embodiment, insidethe camera main body 430, the photography lens 436 is disposed in acartridge chamber 442 in which a film cartridge 442 a is loaded and aspool chamber 446 for winding a film 444.

With the arrangement shown in FIG. 48, space portions are formed betweenthe cartridge chamber 442 and photography lens 436 and between the spoolchamber 446 and photography lens 436 including a light axis. Therefore,large-sized components such as the main condenser 396 for charging theflash light emitting device and the transformer for charging 406 aredisposed in the space portion. Moreover, the main condenser 396 disposedon one side of the photography lens 436 and the transformer for charging406 disposed on the other side of the photography lens 436 are mountedon a printed substrate (hereinafter referred to as the substrate forcharging) 422.

It is to be noted that in the present embodiment, the main condenser 396is disposed in a position close to the xenon tube 398 a, and thetransformer for charging 406 is disposed on the side of the cartridgechamber 442. Moreover, the main condenser 396 and transformer forcharging 406 are electrically connected to each other on the substratefor charging 422.

Moreover, a contact 386 a for reading the DX code disposed in the filmcartridge 442 a is disposed in the substrate for charging 422.

FIG. 49 is a perspective view inside the camera 430.

A circuit concerning the charging of the main condenser 396 of the flashlight emitting device is mainly mounted on the substrate for charging422 disposed on the front-surface side of the camera main body 430. Thesubstrate for charging 422 includes an arm portion (connection portion)422 a integrally disposed in the substrate, and has a substantiallyL-shape. This arm portion 422 a connects the main condenser 396 to thetransformer for charging 406. It is to be noted that the arm portion 422a is disposed on the upper side of (above) the photography lens 436 notto obstruct the light incident upon the photography lens 436 and finderobjective lens 434.

Further on the substrate for charging 422, the main switch 380 a isdisposed which detects the opened/closed state of the barrier 432 andwhich turns ON/OFF the operation of the camera. In this manner, the mainswitch 380 a or the contact 386 a is formed as a second switch on thesubstrate for charging 422. It is to be noted that the switch can alsotake various other modes.

It is to be noted that the substrate for charging 422 can be attached tothe camera main body 430 by the screw or the double-faced tape.

Moreover, in FIG. 49, the CPU 380, LCD 382, and release switch 380 bwhich is a first switch are mounted on a printed substrate (hereinafterreferred to as the main substrate) 420 which is disposed above thecamera. The motor for film supply (not shown) is mounted on the mainsubstrate 420.

The LCD 382 or the release switch 380 b is disposed on the upper surfaceof the camera as described above in many cases. Therefore, the mainsubstrate 420 is disposed on the upper-surface side inside the camera.The CPU 380 mounted on the main substrate 420 transmits a signal for thestrobe charging control described above to the circuit mounted on thesubstrate for charging 422. Then, the main substrate 420 is connected tothe substrate for charging 422 by lead wires 440.

FIG. 50 is a side sectional view of the camera 430. As shown in FIG. 44,the xenon tube 398 a is connected to ground (GND) on a minus side. Then,as shown in FIG. 50, a lead portion 396 a of the main condenser 396 isbent and first connected to GND of the substrate for charging 422.Furthermore, the lead portion 396 a of the main condenser 396 is bentand connected to GND of the main substrate 420. By this connection, themain condenser 396, the xenon tube 398 a (substrate for charging 422),and GND of the main substrate 420 are electrically connected to oneanother.

Furthermore, when a lead wire (lead portion) 398 b from the xenon tube398 a is connected to the main condenser 396, a land for soldering isdisposed beforehand in the arm portion 422 a of the substrate forcharging 422, and a stable operation can be performed. When the xenontube 398 a is disposed in a short distance from the main condenser 396,the lead wire 398 b can be shortened.

Here, the effect of the substrate for charging 422 is as follows.

-   -   (a) It is possible to contain and mount the transformer for        charging 406 in an optimum position.    -   (b) It is possible to contain and mount the main condenser 396        in the optimum position. The condenser can be mounted directly        on the substrate for charging 422 by the lead portion 396 a.    -   (c) The contact 386 a for reading the DX code, and the main        switch 380 a for detecting the opening/closing of the barrier        can be disposed.    -   (d) The lead wire 398 b for the xenon tube 398 a can be        shortened.    -   (e) The main substrate 420 can be connected to the GND via the        lead portion 396 a of the main condenser 396.

It is to be noted that the arm portion 422 a may include a wiringextending toward the main condenser 396 from the secondary winding ofthe transformer for charging 406. Therefore, when only the diodes 408 a,408 b are mounted on the arm portion 422 a, the arm portion 422 a can bethinned. Accordingly, without obstructing a light paths of thephotography lens 436 or the finder objective lens 434, the substrate canbe miniaturized.

Moreover, at a substrate manufacturing time, as shown in FIG. 51 a, onesubstrate is divided to manufacture two substrates for charging 422. Inthis case, a substrate manufacturing cost can be inexpensive as comparedwith the manufacturing of the substrates one by one as shown in FIG.51B. For example, when the substrates built in the camera having thesame size are manufactured, and when the substrates are manufactured asshown in FIG. 51A, it is assumed that the substrates can be manufacturedwith a width W₁ for two substrates. When the substrates are manufacturedas shown in FIG. 51B, it is assumed that the substrates can bemanufactured with a width W₂ for two substrates. At this time, W₁ is asubstantially half width of W₂. It is to be noted that reference numeral448 denotes windows for the photography lenses.

Moreover, the effects of the main substrate 420 are as follows.

-   -   (f) The substrate can be used as a base in mounting the LCD 382.    -   (g) The CPU 380, the LCD 382, and the signal line for connecting        these to each other can be mounted on the same substrate.    -   (h) The electrode of the release switch 380 b can be disposed.    -   (i) The substrate can be used as a substrate for attaching the        electrode of the battery 394.

Here, the effect (i) of the main substrate 420 will supplementarily bedescribed.

When the main substrate 420 is used as the substrate for attaching theelectrodes of the batteries 394, as shown in FIG. 52, electrodes 394 amay be attached. It is to be noted that FIG. 52 is a side sectional viewseen from the side surface reverse to that of FIG. 50. Here, wirings forthe batteries 394 are lead wires 394 b soldered to the pattern on themain substrate 420. The lead wires 394 b can supply power also to thesubstrate for charging 422 from the power supply.

Moreover, as shown in FIGS. 53 and 54, the trigger transformer 416disposed on the main substrate 420 is disposed in the space portionbehind the xenon tube 398 a. In this case, as shown in FIG. 55, a signalline 416 a can be shortened as compared with the trigger transformer 416disposed in the substrate for charging 422. If the signal line 416 aconnecting the trigger transformer 416 to the xenon tube 398 a islengthened, noises induced accordingly sometimes cause the erroneousoperation of the CPU 380 or another electronic circuit. Then, thearrangement of the trigger transformer 416 is devised and the length ofthe signal line 416 a is minimized to reduce the erroneous operation.

That is, when the wiring is shortened, and the noise by the triggertransformer 416 or the noise by a large current flowing through thexenon tube 398 a from the main condenser 396 is reduced, there can beprovided the camera which does not cause the erroneous operation of thecircuit.

Moreover, in FIG. 49, the lead portion of the main condenser 396 is bentto connect the main substrate 420 to the GND of the substrate forcharging 422, but as shown in FIG. 53, a lead portion 408 c of eitherone of the diodes 408 a, 408 b may be bent to connect the substrate.Accordingly, the number of lead wires for connecting two substrates toeach other, that is, for connecting the main substrate 420 to thesubstrate for charging 422 can be reduced. Since the lead wires requirea step of aligning the lengths or removing coated portions, thereduction of the number of lead wires results in cost reduction.

As described above, according to the thirteenth embodiment, since thelarge-sized component is disposed in the appropriate position in thecamera, and is effectively mounted on the printed substrate also inconsideration of influences of noises, there can be provided the camerasmall in size, low in cost, and superior in capability.

Moreover, in the present embodiment, the arrangements of the releaseswitch, the switch for detecting the barrier, and further the electrodefor the battery are also considered in the constitution. It is to benoted that, needless to say, a mode switch for setting variousphotography modes of the camera may also be disposed in the vicinity ofthe release switch.

Next, a fourteenth embodiment of the present invention will be describedwith reference to FIG. 56.

The fourteenth embodiment is different from the thirteenth embodiment inthat the arm portion 422 a of the substrate for charging 422 is disposedon the lower side of (below) the photography lens 436.

Since the arm portion 422 a is disposed below the photography lens 436in this manner, it is not necessary to pass the arm portion 422 abetween the photography lens 436 and the finder objective lens 434 as inthe thirteenth embodiment, and an assembling property is enhanced.

It is to be noted that since the arm portion 422 a is disposed below thephotography lens 436, the lead wire 398 b connecting the substrate forcharging 422 to the xenon tube 398 a lengthens. However, there is amerit that simply with the upward wiring of the lead wire 398 b, thesubstrate for charging 422 can be connected to the xenon tube 398 a.

According to the thirteenth and fourteenth embodiments, the followingcan be obtained.

(5) A camera in which a transformer is disposed in a space portionbetween a photography lens to photograph a subject and a cartridgechamber to load a film cartridge, and a condenser disposed in the spaceportion between the photography lens and a spool chamber to wind a filmis charged by the transformer,

-   -   wherein a printed substrate on which the transformer is mounted        includes an arm portion extended to an electrode portion of the        condenser from the transformer, and    -   the electrode portion of the condenser is mounted on the arm        portion.

(6) The camera according to the above (5), wherein the arm portion isdisposed under the photography lens.

(7) A camera to which a flash light emitting device is attached,comprising: a photography lens; and an electric substrate in which anelectric component mounting portion including some of a plurality ofelectric elements to charge a condenser to allow the flash lightemitting device disposed on one side via a light axis of the photographylens to emit light is disposed on the other side via the light axis ofthe photography lens, and a connection portion (arm portion) extendedintegrally from the electric mounting portion to electrically connect alead portion of the condenser or a lead portion of a flash lightemitting tube disposed in the flash light emitting device is disposedabove or below the photography lens.

The following embodiments have been disclosed in Japanese patentapplication No. 2002-171621 filed on Jun. 12, 2002, in Japan, the entirecontents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

Next, a fifteenth embodiment of the present invention will be described.

FIG. 57 is a diagram showing the appearance in mounting a motor as theelectric component on the electric substrate according to the fifteenthembodiment of the present invention. It is to be noted that the FPCsubstrate which is an electric substrate having flexibility willcontinuously be described as an example of the electric substrateaccording to the present embodiment, but a technique of the presentembodiment can also be applied to a rigid printed substrate.

In FIG. 57, a motor 452 includes a columnar protrusion 454 in a middleportion. The motor 452 includes lead-type connection terminals(hereinafter referred to as the leads) 456. An FPC substrate 458includes an opening for escaping from the protrusion 454.

FIG. 58 is a constitution diagram of the electric substrate according tothe present embodiment.

That is, the present FPC substrate 458 comprises conductor patterns 460,solder land portions 462, an outer shape hole portion (hole portion)464, and insertion through portions 466.

The main body of the FPC substrate 458 is constituted by disposing theconductor patterns in a thin film. Accordingly, the FPC substrate 458has flexibility, and it is possible to bend and use the substrate.

The conductor patterns 460 are formed by copper foils on the FPCsubstrate 458. The conductor patterns 460 form current paths in settingthe leads 456 of the motor to be electrically conductive. Moreover, thesolder land portions 462 are formed on the conductor patterns 460.

For the solder land portions 462, after removing a part of the copperfoil on the conductor patterns 460, the portion from which the copperfoil is removed is subjected to the solder plating or the rust proofingtreatment so that the soldering is possible. That is, when the motor 452is soldered to the FPC substrate 458, the leads 456 of the motor 452 aresoldered to the solder land portions 462.

Moreover, the hole portion 464 having a circularly closed shape isformed in the middle portion of the FPC substrate 458. The hole portion464 is an opening for escaping from the protrusion 454 of the motor asshown by a broken line in FIG. 58.

Furthermore, the insertion through portions 466 forming a substantialU-shape and extended on the outer-diameter side of the hole portion 454are formed in the edge of the hole portion 454. The insertion throughportions 466 are formed and connected to the hole portion 464, and theleads 456 are passed through the insertion through portions 466.Moreover, the solder land portions 462 are disposed around the insertionthrough portions 466. The insertion through portions 466 are constitutedto such a size that the portions are disposed in the vicinity of theleads 456 or contact the leads so as to facilitate the soldering of theleads 456. Needless to say, the insertion through portions 466 may alsohave a size such that the leads 456 can be fit.

At a manufacturing time of the FPC substrate 458 constituted asdescribed above, the hole portion 464 is formed integrally with theinsertion through portions 466. Therefore, an interval between the leads456 and the protrusion 454 does not have to be considered much, and thesubstrate can be manufactured with a mold accuracy for multipurpose.Furthermore, since the solder land portions 462 are disposed around theinsertion through portions 466, the interval between the solder landportions 462 and the protrusion 454 can be broadened. A possibility thatthe solder flows out into the protrusion 454 and melts the protrusion454 can be reduced.

Moreover, since the circularly closed hole portion 464 is disposed inthe FPC substrate 458 in accordance with the shape of the protrusion 454of the motor, the following phenomenon can be decreased. That is, thephenomena such as deviation of a solder land portions 462 portion forconnecting the leads 456 or positional dispersion in attaching the motorinto the FPC substrate 458 are decreased. Accordingly, the constitutionis also advantageous in mounting the components.

The following embodiments have been disclosed in Japanese patentapplication No. 2002-171624 filed on Jun. 12, 2002, in Japan, the entirecontents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

Next, a sixteenth embodiment of the present invention will be described.

FIG. 59 shows a battery contact piece according to the sixteenthembodiment. For example, the piece is formed of a line material referredto as a CP line in which SWC (rigid steel line) or core material isformed of carbon steel for a spring and a surface layer is plated withcopper. In one end of the line material, a contact piece for a cathode(first contact piece) 470 is disposed to contact a cathode of thebattery. In the other end of the line material, a contact piece for ananode (second contact piece) 472 is disposed to contact an anode of thebattery. The contact piece for the cathode 470 is formed and integrallyconnected to the contact piece for the anode 472 via a portion to be cut474.

That is, in one end of the contact piece for the cathode 470, a batteryconnection end 470 c is disposed including a cathode contact 470 a and aprotrusion for positioning 470 b in one end. An external connection lead470 b is disposed in the other end. Between the battery connection end470 c and the external connection lead 470 d, bent portions 470 e areappropriately formed in consideration of a wiring space in a batterycontaining chamber 480 (see FIGS. 60 and 61) described later.

The other contact piece for the anode 472 includes a battery connectionend 472 c including a spiral spring portion 472 a and an anode contact472 b in one end. An external connection lead 472 d is formed in theother end. Between the battery connection end 472 c and the externalconnection lead 472 d, a bent portion 472 e is appropriately formed inconsideration of an escape of the constituting component on the outerside of the battery containing chamber 480 (see FIGS. 60 and 61).Moreover, the external connection lead 470 b of the contact piece forthe cathode 470 is integrally connected to the external connection lead472 d of the contact piece for the anode 472 and these leads are formedso that the leads can be separated via the portion to be cut 474.

The contact piece for the cathode 470 and contact piece for the anode472 are stored at a storage/management time in an integrated state inwhich the external connection leads 470 d, 472 d are connected to eachother via the portion to be cut 474. Accordingly, the number ofcomponents at the storage time can be reduced, and component loss isprevented. Moreover, at an attaching time of the electronic apparatusessuch as the camera into the battery containing chamber 480 as describedlater, the contact piece for the cathode 470 is cut from the contactpiece for the anode 472 by the portion to be cut 474 connecting theexternal connection leads 470 d, 472 d to each other, separated, andattached.

Here, the application of the integrally formed battery contact pieceincluding the contact piece for the cathode 470 and contact piece forthe anode 472 which are characteristic of the present embodiment via theportion to be cut 474 to the camera shown in FIGS. 62 and 63 will bedescribed.

That is, in the front surface of a camera exterior 484 in which a cameramain body 482 is contained, a photography lens 486, a finder 488, and aflash light emitting portion 490 are disposed. Moreover, in the frontsurface of the camera exterior 484, a barrier 492 is disposed to bemovable between a closed position where the photography lens 486 andfinder 488 are covered with the barrier 492 and an opened position wherethe photography lens and finder can be released to perform thephotography.

Moreover, a release button 494 is disposed in an upper-surface portionof the camera exterior 484. In a side-wall portion of the exterior, abattery lid 496 is disposed to be openable/closable with respect to thebattery containing chamber 480 disposed in the camera main body 482 viaa hinge 498. In this manner, the contact piece for the cathode 470 andcontact piece for the anode 472 integrally formed via the portion to becut 474 are attached with respect to the battery containing chamber 480disposed in the camera main body 482.

The contact piece for the cathode 470 and contact piece for the anode472 are stored/maintained in the integrally connected state via theportion to be cut 474 at the storage time before the attachingoperation. When the pieces are attached to the battery containingchamber 480, the pieces are cut and separated from the portion to be cut474.

In this case, for the contact piece for the cathode 470, as shown inFIGS. 60 and 61, the bent portions 470 e are used to insert the batteryconnection end 470 c into an insertion hole 480 a from the outside ofthe battery containing chamber 480 of the camera main body 472. Theinsertion hole 480 a is disposed in the upper-surface portion of thebattery containing chamber 480. Moreover, the contact piece for thecathode 470 is contained in the battery containing chamber.

Furthermore, the protrusion for positioning 470 b is inserted into anengaging hole 480 b disposed in the lower end of the battery containingchamber 480. Accordingly, for the contact piece for the cathode 470, thecathode contact 470 a is positioned in a predetermined position of thelower end of the battery containing chamber 480 and attached. Here, theexternal connection lead 470 b of the contact piece for the cathode 470is disposed outside the battery containing chamber 480, and electricallyconnected to the cathode side of a power supply portion (not shown).

For the other contact piece for the anode 472, as shown in FIGS. 64 and65, a base end of the spring portion 472 a of the battery connection end472 c is inserted into a hold groove 480 c disposed on an upper-end sideof the battery containing chamber 480. Then, for the contact piece forthe anode 472, the position of the base end of the spring portion 472 ais regulated by the hold groove 480 c of the battery containing chamber480, and the anode contact 472 b is positioned opposite to the cathodecontact 470 a of the contact piece for the cathode 470 in the upper endof the battery containing chamber 480. Here, the external connectionlead 472 d of the contact piece for the anode 472 is disposed on theouter side of the battery containing chamber 480, and electricallyconnected on an anode side of the power supply portion (not shown).

Here, as shown in FIGS. 66 and 67, the cathode contact 470 a is disposedopposite to the anode contact 472 b in the battery containing chamber480. Moreover, when the cathode and anode of the battery (not shown) areinserted opposite to the cathode contact 470 a, anode contact 472 b, thespring portion 472 a of the anode contact 472 b is elastically deformed.In this state, the cathode contact 470 a, anode contact 472 b arebrought in contact with and electrically connected to the cathode andanode of the battery, respectively. In this case, the anode contact 472b presses the anode of the battery (not shown) in a cathode direction bythe spring portion 472 a to realize secure mutual contact.

In this manner, for the battery contact piece, the contact piece for thecathode 470 for contacting the cathode of the battery and the contactpiece for the anode 472 for contacting the anode of the battery areintegrally formed so that the pieces can be separated via the portion tobe cut 474. Moreover, these contact piece for the cathode 470 andcontact piece for the anode 472 are separated from the portion to be cut474 and attached/disposed into the battery containing chamber 480 in theconstitution.

Accordingly, at the attaching time into the battery containing chamber480, the contact piece for the cathode 470 is separated from the contactpiece for the anode 472, and the respective pieces can beattached/disposed into the desired position of the battery containingchamber 480. This can reduce the number of components at the storagetime. Additionally, component loss is prevented, and simplestorage/management is possible.

Moreover, since the contact piece for the cathode 470 and contact piecefor the anode 472 are formed by the line materials, simple and easymanufacturing is possible.

It is to be noted that in the sixteenth embodiment, the constitution hasbeen described in which the external connection lead 470 b of thecontact piece for the cathode 470 is connected to the externalconnection lead 472 d of the contact piece for the anode 472 via theportion to be cut 474 and integrally formed. However, the presentinvention is not limited to this arrangement structure. Additionally, aconstitution shown in FIGS. 68 and 69 is also possible, and the similareffect is anticipated. Moreover, in FIGS. 68 and 69, the same part asthat of FIG. 59 is denoted with the same reference numerals, and thedetailed description is omitted.

FIG. 68 is a diagram showing the battery contact piece according to aseventeenth embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 68, the protrusion for positioning 470 b of the contact piecefor the cathode 470 is integrally formed with the anode contact 472 b ofthe contact piece for the anode 472 so as to be separable via theportion to be cut 474. Accordingly, the contact piece for the cathode470 and contact piece for the anode 472 are similarly connected to eachother via the portion to be cut 474, and stored/maintained. At theattaching time into the battery containing chamber 480, the pieces arecut and separated from the portion to be cut 474, and similarlyattached.

FIG. 69 is a diagram showing the battery contact piece according to aneighteenth embodiment of the present invention.

In the eighteenth embodiment, the external connection lead 470 b of thecontact piece for the cathode 470 is integrally formed with the anodecontact 472 b of the contact piece for the anode 472 to be separable viathe portion to be cut 474. Accordingly, the contact piece for thecathode 470 and contact piece for the anode 472 are similarly connectedto each other via the portion to be cut 474, and stored/maintained. Atthe attaching time into the battery containing chamber 480, the piecesare cut and separated from the portion to be cut 474, and similarlyattached.

It is to be noted that a portion for disconnectably connecting thecontact piece for the cathode 470 to contact piece for the anode 472 isnot limited to that of each embodiment, and anothercombination/arrangement can also be constituted.

Moreover, in the above-described sixteenth to eighteenth embodiments,the constitution using the line materials has been described, but thepresent invention is not limited to this. Additionally, as shown inFIGS. 70, 71A, and 71B, a plate material can also be used to achieve theconstitution. In the description of FIGS. 70, 71A, and 71B, for the sakeof convenience of description, the attaching/disposing into the batterycontaining chamber 480 shown in FIGS. 60 to 67 will be described.

A nineteenth embodiment of the present invention will be described withreference to FIGS. 70, 71A, and 71B.

In FIG. 70, a contact piece for a cathode 500 is formed in one end ofthe plate material. A contact piece for an anode 502 is formed in theother end. The contact piece for the cathode 500 and the contact piecefor the anode 502 are integrally formed to be separable via a portion tobe cut 504. For the contact piece for the cathode 500, a batteryconnection end 500 a constituting a cathode contact and an outerconnection lead 500 b are disposed via bent portions 500 c. A protrusionfor positioning 500 b is disposed in the battery connection end 500 a.

In the other contact piece for the anode 502, a fit portion 502 a isdisposed to be fitted into the hold groove 480 c of the batterycontaining chamber 480. With respect to the fit portion 502 a, a batteryconnection end 502 d including a projecting anode contact 502 c isdisposed so as to be elastically deformable via an elastic portion 502 bwhich is a spring portion. Furthermore, an outer connection lead 502 eis integrally formed from the fit portion 502 a. Moreover, these contactpiece for the cathode 500 and the contact piece for the anode 502 areintegrally formed so that the outer connection leads 500 b, 502 e areconnected to each other so as to be cuttable via the portion to be cut504.

By the constitution, the contact piece for the cathode 500 and thecontact piece for the anode 502 are managed in the integrally connectedstate via the portion to be cut 504 at the storage time (see FIG. 70).Moreover, in the attaching into the battery containing chamber 480, thecontact piece for the cathode 500 and the contact piece for the anode502 are cut from the portion to be cut 504 and separated (see FIGS. 71A,71B).

For the contact piece for the cathode 500, the outer connection lead 500b is inserted into the insertion hole 480 a disposed in the batterycontaining chamber 480 from the inner side of the battery containingchamber 480 of the camera main body 482. Moreover, the outer connectionlead 500 b is extended to the outside of the battery containing chamber480. On the other hand, the battery connection end 500 a is disposed inthe lower end of the battery containing chamber 480. At this time, theprotrusion for positioning 500 b of the battery connection end 500 a isinserted into the engaging hole 480 b of the battery containing chamber480. Accordingly, for the contact piece for the cathode 500. the batteryconnection end 500 a is positioned in the predetermined position in thebattery containing chamber 480 and attached. Here, the outer connectionlead 500 b of the contact piece for the cathode 500 is disposed on theouter side of the battery containing chamber 480, and electricallyconnected to the power supply portion (not shown) on the cathode side.

For the other contact piece for the anode 502, the fit portion 502 a isinserted into the hold groove 480 c disposed in the upper end of thebattery containing chamber 480. Then, for the contact piece for theanode 502, the position of the fit portion 502 a is regulated by thehold groove 480 c of the battery containing chamber 480. Moreover, theanode contact 502 c is positioned opposite to the battery connection end500 a of the contact piece for the cathode 500 in the battery containingchamber 480 in an elastically deformable state via the elastic portion502 b. Here, the outer connection lead 502 e of the contact piece forthe anode 502 is disposed on the outer side of the battery containingchamber 480, and is electrically connected to the power supply portion(not shown) on the anode side.

Here, for the battery connection end 500 a and the anode contact 502 a,when the cathode and anode of the battery (not shown) are inserted intothe battery containing chamber 480 opposite to the battery connectionend 500 a and anode contact 502 a, the elastic portion 502 b of theanode contact 502 is elastically deformed. In this state, the cathodeand anode of the battery are brought into contact and electricallyconnected. At this time, for the anode contact 502, the elastic portion502 b presses the anode of the battery (not shown) in the cathodedirection to perform the secure mutual contact.

It is to be noted that also in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 70, 71A,and 71B, the arrangement structure of the respective componentsconstituting the contact piece for the cathode 500 and contact piece forthe anode 502 is not limited to the arrangement structure described inthe above-described embodiment, and other various arrangement structurescan be constituted.

Moreover, in the above-described sixteenth to nineteenth embodiments,the application of the electronic apparatus to the camera has beendescribed, but the present invention is not limited to this, and canalso be applied to the other electronic apparatuses, and the similareffect is anticipated.

Furthermore, based on the sixteenth to nineteenth embodiments, thefollowing results.

(8) There can be provided the battery contact piece in which the firstcontact piece including the connection end for the cathode and the outerconnection lead is integrally formed with the second contact pieceincluding the connection end for the anode and the outer connection leadso that the pieces can separably be disposed.

(9) There can be provided the battery contact piece, wherein theconnection end for the anode of the second contact piece described inthe above (8) includes the spring portion.

The following embodiments have been disclosed in Japanese patentapplication No. 2002-226397 filed on Aug. 2, 2002, in Japan, the entirecontents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

Next, a 20th embodiment of the present invention will be described.

FIG. 72 is a perspective view observed from behind, showing the attachedand assembled state of the battery contact pieces into the camerahousing excluding the exterior member as the electronic apparatus in the20th embodiment. FIG. 73 is an exploded perspective view showing anattaching step of the battery contact piece of FIG. 72 into the camerahousing, FIG. 74 is a perspective view showing the attached state of thebattery contact piece of FIG. 73 into the camera housing, and FIG. 75 isan exploded perspective view showing a step of cutting the batterycontact piece attached into the camera housing.

It is to be noted that the camera will be described as the example ofthe electronic apparatus to which the battery contact piece is attachedby the assembling method of the present embodiment, but needless to say,the assembling method of the present invention is applied to anyelectronic apparatus, as long as the electronic apparatus includes thebattery containing chamber.

First, the constitution of the battery contact piece for use in theassembling method of the 20th embodiment will be described withreference to FIG. 73.

A battery contact piece 512 is formed by bending one elastic linematerial as follows. That is, after bending the lower end in a crankshape and forming an engaging end in one end 524, a horizontally bentcontact piece for the cathode 516 is formed. Thereafter, a contact piecefor the cathode 528 slightly longer than the length of the battery inthe axial direction is raised upwards and formed. Following the contactpiece for the cathode 528, a contact piece connection portion 518 turnedback in the U-shape is formed, and subsequently the upper end is formedin a convoluted spiral portion to constitute a contact piece for theanode 514. It is to be noted that a lead portion 522 and the contactpiece for the anode 514 form a contact piece for the anode 526. Oppositeend vertical portions of the contact piece connection portion 518 areused as lead portions 520, 522 to be connected to the electricsubstrate. That is, the contact piece for the cathode 528 is integrallyformed with the contact piece for the anode 526.

Next, the camera will be described as the electronic apparatus intowhich-the battery contact piece 512 is attached.

FIG. 72 is a diagram of a camera housing 510 forming the camera mainbody seen from behind and obliquely from above. In the front surface ofthe housing 510, a lens body tube 534 including the photography opticalsystem for picking up the image of the subject is disposed. On the leftside in the upper surface, a flash light emitting portion 532 forirradiating the subject with the flash light is disposed. A boss shaft546 (see FIG. 73) is disposed in an upper surface middle. It is to benoted that a screw hole is disposed in the boss shaft 546.

Moreover, an electric substrate 536 is attached to the upper surface onthe right side. The electric substrate 536 is positioned, when the bossshaft 546 is inserted through a hole for positioning 542 formed in theelectric substrate 536. Moreover, a screw 544 is inserted through thescrew hole to mesh with the hole of the boss shaft 546 and is fixed.

The electric components such as the DC/DC converter are mounted on theelectric substrate 536. In the edge of the electric substrate 536 on theright side, the following portions are disposed forwards/backwards alonga thickness direction of the camera housing 510. That is, there aredisposed: a cutout 538 and solder land 558 b which form an electric bondportion of the contact piece for the anode 526 of the battery contactpiece 512; and a cutout 540 and solder land 558 a which form theelectric bond portion of the contact piece for the cathode 528. Furtheron the rear surface of the camera housing 510 on the left side, an LCDdisplay portion 530 is disposed to display the photography mode or thepicked-up subject image.

Moreover, as shown in FIGS. 72 and 73, in the end of the camera housing510 on the right side, a battery containing chamber 550 is disposed inwhich the power supply battery for supplying a driving power to thecamera is contained to be attachable/detachable. In a ceiling wall of anopening of the battery containing chamber 550, cutouts 552 and 554 areformed forwards/backwards along the thickness direction of the camerahousing 510. The cutout 552 passes the lead portion 522 of the contactpiece for the anode 526 of the battery contact piece 512, and the cutout554 passes the lead portion 520 of the contact piece for the cathode528.

The cutouts 552 and 554 are disposed opposite to the cutouts 538, 540 ofthe substrate 536, when the electric substrate 536 is attached to theupper surface of the camera housing 510. Further in the undersurface ofthe battery containing chamber 550, a positioning hole 556 is disposedto fix the contact piece for the cathode 528 of the battery contactpiece.

The battery contact piece 512 is attached to the camera housing 510constituted in this manner as follows. That is, the positioning hole 556in the lower surface of the battery containing chamber 550 is engagedwith one end 524 of the contact piece for the cathode 528 of the batterycontact piece 512. Moreover, the contact piece for the cathode 516 isdisposed on the lower surface of the battery containing chamber 550, andthe contact piece for the cathode 528 extended upwards is disposed alongthe inner wall in the vicinity of the camera front in the batterycontaining chamber 550. The lead portion 520 of the contact piece forthe cathode 528 is inserted through the cutout 554, and further engagedwith the cutout 540 of the electric substrate 536. Moreover, the leadportion 520 is soldered and electrically bonded via the solder land 558a of the electric substrate 536.

Moreover, as shown in FIG. 74, the contact piece connection portion 518extended above the electric substrate 536 is engaged with the cutout 538of the electric substrate 536 and subsequently inserted through thecutout 552. Furthermore, the spiral contact piece for the anode 514 isdisposed in the ceiling wall surface of the battery containing chamber550. Additionally, the lead portion 522 engaged with the cutout 538 ofthe electric substrate 536 is electrically bonded to the solder land 558b by the soldering.

Next, the assembling method of the contact piece for the anode 514 andcontact piece for the cathode 516 in the contact piece for the cathode528 and contact piece for the anode 526 attached to the camera housing510 in this manner will be described.

Here, the contact piece for the cathode 528 and the contact piece forthe anode 526 are supplied in the state of the battery contact piece 512(see FIG. 73) including the lead portions 520, 522 connected to eachother by the connection portion 518.

It is to be noted that examples of the line material constituting thebattery contact piece 512 include SWC (rigid steel line) and corematerial. Moreover, the piece is constituted of the line material whosesurface layer is plated with copper and which is referred to as the CPline, and the line materials are bent/formed/processed as describedabove to constitute the above-described portions.

An example of the assembling method of the contact pieces for the anodeand cathode 514, 516 in the contact piece for the cathode 528 andcontact piece for the anode 526 will be described hereinafter.

The method first comprises: passing the boss shaft 546 disposed in theupper-surface middle of the electric substrate 536 through the hole forpositioning 542 disposed in the electric substrate 536; and allowing thescrew 544 to mesh with the screw hole of the boss shaft 546 toattach/fix the substrate.

Next, the battery contact piece 512 is integrally incorporated in thebattery containing chamber 550 as described above. Thereafter, the leadportions 520, 522 are, for example, soldered and electrically connectedto the solder lands 558 a, 558 b, respectively (see FIG. 74). Moreover,as shown in FIG. 75, the connection portion 518 of the battery contactpiece 512, that is, between the contact piece for the cathode 520 andthe contact piece for the anode 526 is cut, for example, with pincers560 or nipper.

Accordingly, the battery contact piece 512 is separated into the contactpiece for the cathode 528 and the contact piece for the anode 526. Whena battery 562 is loaded in the battery containing chamber 550, thecontact piece for the cathode 516 which contacts a cathode 564 of thebattery 562, and the contact piece for the anode 514 which contacts ananode 566 are formed. Moreover, a connection step of the contact pieces514, 516 to predetermined places of the electric substrate 536 is alsocompleted.

In this manner, according to the assembling method of the 20thembodiment of the present invention, since the battery contact piece 512can be assembled with respect to the battery containing chamber 550 by asmall number of steps, the assembling property into the batterycontaining chamber 550 can be enhanced.

Moreover, a modification example of the assembling method of the 20thembodiment is as follows.

(10) The method comprises: attaching the battery contact piece 512 tothe camera housing 550; subsequently attaching and fixing the electricsubstrate 536 to the camera housing 550 to electrically connect thesubstrate to the lead portions 520, 522 of the battery contact piece512; and thereafter cutting the connection portion 518 of the batterycontact piece 512.

According to the above-described assembling method, the electricsubstrate 536 attached to the cameral housing 550 (electronic apparatus)before cutting the battery contact piece 512 or to be attached canelectrically be connected to the battery contact piece 512 by thesolder. Moreover, the battery contact piece 512 in the above-describedassembling embodiment is cut after soldered with respect to the electricsubstrate 536.

However, conversely, the electric substrate 536 attached to the camerahousing 550 (electronic apparatus) after cutting the battery contactpiece 512 attached to the camera housing 550 (electronic apparatus), orto be attached may also electrically be connected to the battery contactpiece 512 by the solder. According to the method, as compared with theformer method, without giving an unnecessary stress to the solderedportion, reliability of electric conductivity of the electricallyconnected portion can be improved. Furthermore, another modificationexample of the assembling method of the 20th embodiment is as follows.

(11) The method comprises: cutting the connection portion 518 of thebattery contact piece 512; forming the contact piece for the cathode 528and contact piece for the anode 526, respectively; and subsequentlyattaching the pieces to the camera housing 550. Thereafter, the electricsubstrate 536 is attached/fixed to the camera housing 550 andelectrically connected to the contact piece for the cathode 528 andcontact piece for the anode 526.

(12) The method comprises: cutting the connection portion 518 of thebattery contact piece 512; forming the contact piece for the cathode 528and the contact piece for the anode 526, respectively; and subsequentlyattaching/fixing the electric substrate 536 to the camera housing 550.Furthermore, the contact piece for the cathode 528 and the contact piecefor the anode 526 are attached to the camera housing 550, and thereafterelectrically connected to the electric substrate 536.

Even by any of the above-described methods (10) to (12), the effectsimilar to that of the 20th embodiment can be obtained.

FIG. 76 is a partial enlarged perspective view showing the attached andassembled state of the battery contact piece into the camera housingwhich is the electronic apparatus in a 21st embodiment of the presentinvention; FIG. 77 is a partial enlarged exploded perspective viewshowing a step of attaching the battery contact piece into the camerahousing; FIG. 78 is a partial enlarged perspective view showing thebattery contact piece disposed on an undersurface side of the batterycontaining chamber; FIG. 79 is a partial enlarged perspective viewshowing the attached state of the battery contact piece of FIG. 77 intothe camera housing; FIG. 80 is a partial enlarged perspective viewshowing the step of cutting the battery contact piece attached into thecamera housing of FIG. 77; and FIG. 81 is a partial enlarged explodedperspective view showing an inserting step of two batteries into thebattery containing chamber of the camera housing in which the batterycontact piece of FIG. 80 is assembled.

The assembling method of the battery contact piece of the 21stembodiment is substantially the same as that of the 20th embodimentshown in FIGS. 72 to 75, and is different only in that two batterycontact pieces including the integrally formed cathode/anode are used toinsert two batteries in series. Therefore, only the different respectwill be described, the constituting members similar to those of the 20thembodiment are denoted with the same reference numerals, and thedescription thereof is omitted.

As shown in FIG. 76, an electric substrate 572 is fixed to the uppersurface of a camera housing 570 on the right side by attaching meanssimilar to that of the 20th embodiment. In the edge of the electricsubstrate 572 on the right side, a cutout 576 and a solder land 578 aare disposed to form the electric bond portion of a contact piece forthe anode 614 of the battery contact piece described later. Similarly,in parallel with the cutout 576, a cutout 574 and a solder land 578 bare disposed to form the electric bond portion of a contact piece forthe cathode 602. The solder lands 578 a, 578 b are formed to extend overthe peripheries of the cutouts 576, 574.

Moreover, in the end of the camera housing 570 on the right side, abattery containing chamber 580 is disposed in which the power supplybattery for supplying the driving power to the camera is contained to beattachable/detachable. In the ceiling wall of the opening of the batterycontaining chamber 580, as shown in FIG. 77, there are disposed: a fitgroove 582 of the base portion of the convoluted spiral portion of thecontact piece for the anode 614 of a battery contact piece 600; and acutout. 584 for passing through a lead portion 612. Similarly, in theceiling wall of the opening of the battery containing chamber 580, acutout 588 is formed to fix a lead portion 608 of the contact piece forthe cathode 602. Furthermore, in the ceiling wall of the batterycontaining chamber 580 on the back-portion side, a positioning hole 586is disposed for fixing the contact piece for the cathode 602 of thebattery contact piece 600.

The positioning hole 586 is engaged with an engaging portion 604 of thecontact piece for the cathode 602 formed in one end of the batterycontact piece 600. For the contact piece for the cathode 602, one end ofthe line material is first bent in an L-shape to form a contact piecefor the cathode 606 including the engaging portion 604 and a horizontalportion. A portion bent upwards in a U-shape following the contact piecefor the cathode 606 is fit into the positioning hole 586. Moreover, thelead portion 608 extended upwards engages with the cutout 574 (see FIG.76) of the electric substrate 572, and is electrically bonded to thecutout via the solder land 578 b by the solder.

On the other hand, the base portion of the contact piece for the anode614 formed in the other end of the battery contact piece 600 is fittedinto the fit groove 582. The other linear end of the contact piece forthe anode 614 includes a spiral contact piece for the anode 616 whichcontacts the anode of the battery, and the lead portion 612 extendedupwards from the contact piece 616. The lead portion 612 of the contactpiece for the anode 614 engages with the cutout 584 of the camerahousing 270. Furthermore, the portion engages with the cutout 576 of theelectric substrate 572, and is electrically bonded to the substrate viathe solder land 578 a by the solder. Moreover, the lead portion 608 isconnected to the lead portion 612 by a U-shaped connection portion 610.

It is to be noted that the contact piece for the cathode 602 and thecontact piece for the anode 614 are supplied in the state of theintegrally formed battery contact piece 600 (see FIG. 77).

In the bottom surface of the battery containing chamber 580, a fitgroove 592 for fixing a contact piece for the anode 628 of a batterycontact piece 622 described later is disposed on the back-portion sidein the thickness direction of the camera housing 570. In the bottomsurface of the battery containing chamber 580 on the front-portion side,a positioning hole 590 is disposed for fixing the contact piece for thecathode 622 of a battery contact piece 620.

The positioning hole 590 is engaged with an engaging portion 624 of thecontact piece for the cathode 622 formed in one end of the batterycontact piece 620 shown in FIG. 78. In the contact piece for the cathode622, the engaging portion 624 formed by bending one end of the linematerial in the L-shape, and a contact piece for the cathode 626including the horizontal portion are formed. Moreover, the contact piecefor the cathode 626 is positioned along the undersurface of the batterycontaining chamber 580 to contact the cathode of the battery.

On the other hand, the base portion of the contact piece for the anode628 formed in the other end of the battery contact piece 620 is fittedinto the fit groove 592. The contact piece for the anode 628 is formedof a contact piece for the anode 630 in which the other end of the linematerial is formed in the spiral shape so as to contact the anode of thebattery.

It is to be noted that the contact piece for the cathode 622 and thecontact piece for the anode 628 are supplied in the state of theintegrally formed battery contact piece 620 (see FIG. 78).

Moreover, the battery contact pieces 600 and 620 are formed, forexample, of SWC (rigid steel line), and the core material is formed ofthe high-carbon steel for the spring. Moreover, the line materialreferred to as the CP line whose surface layer is plated with copper isconstituted, and the line material is bent/processed to form theabove-described portions.

One example of the assembling method will be described hereinafter withrespect to the contact pieces for the anode and cathode 616, 606 in thecontact piece for the cathode 602 and the contact piece for the anode614 of the battery contact piece 600, and the contact pieces for thecathode and anode 624, 630 in the contact piece for the cathode 622 andthe contact piece for the anode 628 of the battery contact piece 620.

First, the battery contact piece 620 is attached to the camera housing570 as described above. By the attaching, a cut piece is formed in theundersurface of the battery containing chamber 580 as shown in FIG. 81.That is, there are formed: the contact piece for the cathode 622including the contact piece for the cathode 626 which contacts a cathode640 of one battery 634; and the contact piece for the anode 628including the contact piece for the anode 630 which contacts an anode642 of the other battery 636.

Next, the electric substrate 572 is attached/fixed to the camera housing570 by means similar to that of the 20th embodiment.

Subsequently, the battery contact piece 600 is attached to the batterycontaining chamber 580 as described above. Thereafter, the lead portions608, 612 are electrically connected to the solder lands 578 of theelectric substrate 572, for example, by solder connection (see FIG. 79).Moreover, a-s shown in FIG. 80, the connection portion 610 of thebattery contact piece 600 is cut, for example, with the pincers 560 ornipper.

Accordingly, in the ceiling surface of the battery containing chamber580, as shown in FIG. 81, the contact piece for the anode 616 whichcontacts an anode 638 of one battery 634, and the contact piece for thecathode 606 which contacts a cathode 644 of the other battery 636 areformed, respectively. By this assembling, the connection of the contactpieces 616, 606 into the electric substrate 572 is also completed.

In this manner, according to the assembling method of the 21stembodiment, since the battery contact pieces 600 and 620 can beassembled with respect to the battery containing chamber 580 by a smallnumber of steps, the assembling property into the battery containingchamber 580 can be enhanced.

Moreover, a modification example of the assembling method of theabove-described 21st embodiment is as follows.

(13) The method comprises: attaching the battery contact piece 600 intothe camera housing 570; subsequently attaching/fixing the electricsubstrate 572 into the camera housing 570 to electrically connect thesubstrate to the lead portions 608, 612 of the battery contact piece600; and thereafter cutting the connection portion 610 of the batterycontact piece 600.

According to the above-described assembling method, the electricsubstrate 572 attached to the cameral housing 570 (electronic apparatus)before cutting the battery contact piece 500 or to be attached canelectrically be connected to the battery contact piece 600 by thesolder. Moreover, the battery contact piece 600 in the above-describedassembling embodiment is cut after soldered with respect to the electricsubstrate 572. However, the present invention is not limited to this.Conversely, the electric substrate 572 attached to the camera housing570 (electronic apparatus) after cutting the battery contact piece 600attached to the camera housing 570 (electronic apparatus), or to beattached may also electrically be connected to the battery contact piece600 by the solder. According to the method, as compared with the formermethod, without giving the unnecessary stress to the soldered portion,the reliability of the electric conductivity of the electricallyconnected portion can be improved.

Furthermore, another modification example of the assembling method ofthe 21st embodiment is as follows.

(14) The method comprises: cutting the connection portion 610 of thebattery contact piece 600; forming the contact piece for the cathode 602and the contact piece for the-anode 614, respectively; and subsequentlyattaching the pieces to the camera housing 570. Thereafter, the electricsubstrate 572 is attached/fixed to the camera housing 570 andelectrically connected to the contact piece for the cathode 602 and thecontact piece for the anode 614.

(15) The method comprises: cutting the connection portion 610 of thebattery contact piece 600; forming the contact piece for the cathode 602and the contact piece for the anode 614, respectively; and subsequentlyattaching/fixing the electric substrate 572 to the camera housing 570.Furthermore, the contact piece for the cathode 602 and the contact piecefor the anode 614 are attached to the camera housing 570, and thereafterelectrically connected to the electric substrate 572.

Even by any method of these modification examples (13) to (15), theeffect similar to that of the 20th embodiment can be obtained.

Moreover, in the 21st embodiment, since two batteries are inserted intothe battery containing chamber, two battery contact pieces in which boththe cathode and anode are integrated are used, but the present inventionis not limited to this. Even with the increase of the number ofbatteries to three, four, five, the number of battery contact pieces isincreased by the number of batteries to three, four, five, . . . Then,needless to say, the similar effect is obtained.

The following embodiments have been disclosed in Japanese patentapplication No. 2002-231983 filed on Aug. 8, 2002, in Japan, the entirecontents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

Next, a 22nd embodiment of the present invention will be described.

FIG. 82 is an exploded perspective view of the FPC substrate which canbe built into the apparatus according to the 22nd embodiment, FIG. 83 isa perspective view of the FPC substrate before bent, and FIG. 84 is adiagram showing the bent state of the FPC substrate in a section alongline C6-C6 of FIG. 83.

As shown in the perspective view of FIG. 82, an FPC unit 650 of thepresent embodiment is constituted of: an FPC substrate 652; a tinnedcopper wire (hereinafter referred to as the tinned wire) 654; and anelectric element member (not shown). The tinned wire 654 is an electricconductor which can plastically be deformed as the member mounted on theFPC substrate 652.

It is to be noted that the tinned wire 654 is a electric wire which hasplasticity and which has slight rigidity but which can plastically bedeformed by a certain degree of dynamic. The deformed shape is heldafter the plastic deformation. The tinned wire applied to anotherembodiment described later is a similar line material.

The FPC unit 650 is attached into a constituting unit contained in theapparatus in a bent state at right angles along a bend line 652 cdescribed later (see FIG. 83).

In the FPC unit 650, two land patterns (hereinafter referred to as thelands) 652 a are disposed over a direction crossing at right angles tothe bend line 652 c. A distance L₂ between opposite outer sides of thelands 652 a is set to be slightly longer than a length L₁ of the tinnedwire 654. In the FPC substrate 652, a relief hole 652 b is disposed asan elongated hole in the direction crossing at right angles to the bendline 652 c in a portion where lines connecting the bend line 652 c tothe lands. 652 a intersect with each other.

The opposite ends of the straight tinned wire 654 are soldered onto thelands 652 a by solders 656. Moreover, the wire is mounted and fixed ontothe FPC substrate 652 in a posture crossing at right angles to the bendline 652 c on the relief hole 652 b.

To attach the FPC unit 650 to which the tinned wire 654 is fixed intoanother constituting unit, after attached, the unit is bent at rightangles along the bend line 652 c shown in FIG. 83 in a shown arrow Mdirection. The sectional view shown in FIG. 84 shows the bent state.Since the tinned wire 654 is plastically deformed, the FPC substrate 652is held in the shape bent at right angles.

Moreover, in the bent state of the FPC unit 650, a bent outer corner ofthe tinned wire 654 enters the relief hole 652 b, and a stiff state ofthe FPC substrate 652 is avoided. It is to be noted that the tinned wire654 does not have to necessarily have an electric connection function,but can also perform the electric connection function.

Here, the bent portion with or without the relief hole 652 b in the FPCsubstrate 652 will be described.

FIG. 85 is an enlarged sectional view of the bent portion of the FPCsubstrate 652 including the relief hole. In the bent state, as shown inFIG. 85, the tinned wire 654 expands outside and contracts insidecentering on a neutral line N. That is, assuming that a length on theneutral line N in a bend range of an angle θ in the bent range is En, anouter length is Eo, an inner length is Ei, and a bend radius on theneutral line N is R, the respective lengths are as follows:En=R×θEo=(R+d/2)×θEi=(R−d/2)×θ

On the other hand, when the length of the FPC substrate 652 in the bentstate in the bend range of the angle θ is substantially equal to thelength Eo on the neutral line N, as a result an outside elongation d/2×θof the tinned wire 654 indicates an entered state into the relief hole652 b of the FPC substrate 652. Therefore, the stiff state of the FPCsubstrate 652 is avoided. When the FPC substrate 652 is not stiff, aninner stress is not generated in the FPC substrate 652, and the bentstate of the FPC unit 650 is steadily held.

On the other hand, as shown in the perspective view of FIG. 86, an FPCunit 650′ to which an FPC substrate 650′ having no relief hole isapplied is assumed. In this case, since the relief hole is not disposed,an FPC substrate 652′ is compressed outside the bent portion of thetinned wire 654 as in the FPC unit 650′ in the bent state of FIG. 87shown in the section along line C7-C7 of FIG. 86.

Therefore, the FPC substrate 652′ becomes still, a bent angle isreturned, and the bent shape is not stable. In the stiff state of theFPC substrate 652′, there is a possibility that the soldered portionpeels because of a shear stress generated by a shear force. When thebend radius of the FPC substrate 652′ is large at the bend time, theabove-described stiff phenomenon is not caused. Therefore, it is notnecessary to especially dispose the relief hole.

The bent state of FIGS. 84 and 87 described above indicates the bent FPCsubstrate 652 while the tinned wire 654 is held inside. However, it isalso possible to employ the structure of the bent FPC substrate holdingthe tinned wire outside as an modification example of the benddirection. With the FPC substrate of the modification example, thecompressed portion inside the bend of the tinned wire enters the reliefhole of the FPC substrate, any slack is not generated on the FPC side,and the peel of the soldered portion is not easily generated in the sanemanner.

Next, an FPC unit 670 will be described as a flexible electric wiringsubstrate device which can be built in the apparatus according to a 23rdembodiment of the present invention with reference to FIGS. 88 and 89.

FIG. 88 is a perspective view of the FPC substrate before bent, and FIG.89 is a diagram showing the bent state of the FPC substrate in a sectionalong line C8-C8 of FIG. 88.

As shown in the perspective view of FIG. 88, the FPC unit 670 isconstituted of an FPC substrate 672, a tinned wire 674, and the electricelement member (not shown). The tinned wire 674 is a plasticallydeformable electric conductor which has a tip-end bent portion 674 a asa member mounted on the FPC substrate 672. The FPC unit 670 is also bentat right angles along a bend line 672 c described later after attachedto another constituting unit in the same manner as in the FPC unit 650.

In the FPC substrate 672, two lands 672 a are disposed along a directioncrossing at right angles to the bend line 672 c in one surface dividedby the bend line 672 c. The FPC substrate 672 also includes a cutout 672b disposed in a portion with which the tinned wire 674 intersects on thebend line 672 c.

The tinned wire 674 is soldered, mounted, and fixed on two lands 672 aon a side opposite to the tip-end bent portion 674 a by solders 676.Thereafter, the tip-end bent portion 674 a of the tinned wire 674 ismoved toward the back-surface side of the FPC substrate 672 from thecutout 672 b.

The FPC unit 670 to which the tinned wire 674 is fixed is attached toanother constituting unit, subsequently plastically deformed while thetip-end bent portion 674 a of the tinned wire 674 is disposed outside,and the FPC substrate 672 is bent at right angles along the bend line672 c. FIG. 89 is a sectional view along line C8-C8 of FIG. 88, andshows the bent state. Since the back surface of the FPC substrate 672 ispressed by the tip-end bent portion 674 a of the tinned wire 674, theFPC substrate 672 is held in the bent shape.

Since the tinned wire 674 has a free state on the tip-end bent portion674 a side in the FPC unit 670, the FPC substrate 672 does not stiffenor loosen and the stable bent shape is held.

Next, an FPC unit 680 will be described as a flexible wiring substratewhich can be built in the apparatus according to a 24th embodiment ofthe present invention with reference to FIGS. 90 and 91.

FIG. 90 is a perspective view of the FPC unit before bent, and FIG. 91is diagram showing the bent state of the FPC unit in a section alongline C9-C9 of FIG. 90.

As shown in the perspective view of FIG. 90, the FPC unit 680 comprisesan FPC substrate 682, and a tinned wire 684 which is a plasticallydeformable electric conductor including a tip-end bent portion 684 a. Inthe same manner as the FPC unit 650, the FPC unit 680 is also attachedto another constituting unit, and thereafter bent at right angles alonga bend line. 682 c described later.

In the FPC substrate 682, two lands 682 a are disposed along thedirection crossing at right angles to the bend line 682 c in one surfacedivided by the bend line 682 c. The FPC substrate 682 also includes aninsertion through hole portion 682 b disposed in the portion with whichthe tinned wire 684 intersects on the bend line 682 c.

When the tinned wire 684 is fixed onto the FPC substrate 682, the wireis held in the inserted state on the tip-end bent portion 682 a sidethrough the insertion through hole portion 682 b on the back-surfaceside. Subsequently, in the held state, the wire is soldered on two lands682 a on the side opposite to the tip-end bent portion 684 a of thetinned wire 684 by solders 686, and mounted and fixed in the posturecrossing at right angles to the bend line 682 c.

To attach the FPC unit 680 to which the tinned wire 684 is fixed toanother constituting unit, while the tip-end bent portion 684 a of thetinned wire 684 is disposed outside, the unit is plastically deformed,and the FPC substrate 682 is bent at right angles along the bend line682 c.

FIG. 91 is a sectional view along line C9-C9 of FIG. 90, and shows thebent state. A state is shown in which the tip-end bent portion 684 a ofthe tinned wire 684 presses the back surface of the FPC substrate 682.Moreover, the FPC substrate 682 is held in the shape bent at rightangles. Since the tinned wire 684 has the free state on the tip-end bentportion 684 a side in bent state, the FPC substrate 682 is not broughtinto the stiff state or loosened state.

Next, a camera 690 will be described which is an apparatus including thebuilt-in FPC according to a 25th embodiment of the present inventionwith reference to FIGS. 92 to 95.

FIG. 92 is an exploded perspective view of the camera. FIG. 93 is afront view of the FPC unit for a control circuit which is built in thecamera in a state before incorporated. FIG. 94 is an explodedperspective view of the camera main body unit and the FPC unit for thecamera control circuit which are incorporated in the camera. FIG. 95 isan exploded perspective view of the camera main body unit on which theFPC unit for the control circuit is mounted, and the FPC unit for AF.

As shown in FIG. 92, the camera 690 comprises: a front cover 694 and arear cover 696 which form a first assembly unit; and a camera main bodyunit 692 which is a second assembly unit constituting a part of theapparatus. When the front cover 694 and the rear cover 696 are attachedto the front and rear of the camera main body unit 692, the camera 690is completed.

The front cover 694 is a cover member with which the front surface ofthe camera main body unit 692 is covered, and includes a photographylens opening 694 a, a finder window 694 b, light receiving windows forranging 694 c, 694 d, and a flash light emitting window 694 e in thefront-surface portion of the cover. A release button 694 f is disposedin the upper-surface portion of the front cover 694.

The rear cover 696 is a cover member with which the rear surface of thecamera main body unit 692 is covered, and includes a finder eyepiecewindow 696 a disposed in the rear-surface portion of the cover.

The camera main body unit 692 mainly includes: a camera main body 700including a film cartridge chamber portion 700 a and a spool chamberportion 700 b disposed on the left and right sides; and a photographylens body tube 702 disposed in the front-surface portion of the cameramain body 700. Furthermore, the camera main body unit 692 comprises: anFPC unit for AF 712; an FPC unit for a control circuit 720 for. cameracontrol; further a finder unit 704 disposed in the upper-surfaceportion; and a flash light emitting unit 706.

As shown in the perspective view of FIG. 95, the FPC unit for AF 712comprises: an AF main body portion 736 as an auto focus circuit unit inwhich a ranging portion is built in; and an FPC substrate for AF 740 onwhich the AF main body portion 736 is mounted. The AF main body portion736 includes light receiving lenses for ranging 736 a, 736 b.

Moreover, the FPC substrate for AF 740 includes: a contact pattern 740 cwhich can be connected to a contact pattern 722 c of an FPC substrate722 for the control circuit; an attaching hole 740 a into the cameramain body; and a rotation stopper hole 740 b. Furthermore, the tinnedwire (not shown) similar to the tinned wire 654 described in the 22ndembodiment is disposed in the bent portion of the FPC substrate 740.Moreover, the tinned wire is bent to shape the FPC substrate 740 in amounted state before or after attaching the substrate to the camera mainbody 700.

As shown in the front view of FIG. 93, the FPC unit for the controlcircuit 720 comprises: the FPC substrate 722; tinned wires 726, 728; andanother electric member (not shown).

On the FPC substrate 722, mainly the tinned wires 726, 728, a CPU forcamera control 724, and other necessary electric members are mounted.Moreover, on a large flat-surface portion as a first region on one sideof a bend line 722 i which is a boundary, the tinned wire 726, CPU 724,and the like are mounted. On the other hand, one end of the tinned wire728 is soldered to the first region over the bend line 722 i, and theother end of the wire is soldered to a small flat-surface portion as asecond region on the other side of the bend line 722 i which is aboundary. It is to be noted that the other electric components areappropriately mounted on the first and second regions as circumstancesdemand.

The FPC substrate 722 includes a constricted portion 722 a to avoid thephotography lens body tube 702 in the middle portion. On the right sideof the constricted portion 722 a (on FIG. 93), a contact pattern portion(electric connection portion) 722 c including a contact group, a bosshole 722 b for positioning the contact patterns, and a pin hole 722 dare disposed. Moreover, a screw insertion through hole 722 e forattaching the FPC substrate 722 is disposed on the left side of theconstricted portion 722 a (on FIG. 93).

Moreover, two lands 722 f for soldering the tinned wire 726 are disposedvia the constricted portion 722 a. Furthermore, in the left upperportion, two lands 722 g for soldering the tinned wire 728 are disposedvia the bend line 722 i extending in the left/right direction in thedirection crossing at right angles to the bend line 722 i. In theposition with which the tinned wire 728 intersects on the bend line 722i, a relief hole 722 h is disposed as an elongated hole of anintersection direction.

The tinned wires 726, 728 are soldered on the surface side (on FIG. 93)in the constricted portion 722 a of the FPC substrate 722, or two lands722 f or 722 g via the bend line 722 i.

The tinned wire 726 does not have to be deformed at the attaching time,and does not have to be necessarily a plastically deformable linematerial. Moreover, when the line material 726 is formed of a singlecopper material having a certain degree of rigidity as described above,the flat surface of the constricted portion of the FPC substrate 722 canbe secured, and it becomes easy to handle the substrate at theassembling time.

The tinned wire 728 is a plasticity electric wire which has slightrigidity but which can plastically be deformed by a certain degree ofdynamic in the same manner as in the tinned wire 654 applied in the 22ndembodiment. After the plastic deformation, the deformed shape is held.

The relief hole 722 h of the FPC substrate 722 functions as a reliefhole at a time when the tinned wire 728 is bent after attached to thecamera main body 700 described later.

Next, an assembling procedure of the camera 690 according to the presentembodiment constituted as described above will be described.

First, as shown in the perspective views of FIGS. 94 and 95, the FPCunit for the control circuit 720 and an FPC unit for AF 738 are attachedto the camera main body 700 of the camera main body unit 692 in whichthe finder unit 704 is incorporated. That is, as shown in theperspective view of FIG. 94, the tinned wires 726, 728 of the FPC unitfor the control circuit 720 are disposed outside, and a boss portion 700c and positioning pin 700 b of the camera main body 700 are insertedthrough the boss hole 722 b and positioning pin hole 722 d of the FPCsubstrate 722. Then, a screw 732 is inserted through the screw insertionthrough hole 722 e of the FPC substrate 722 to mesh with a screw through700 e of the FPC substrate 722, and the FPC unit 720 is brought into anattached state (mounted state).

Subsequently, as shown in the perspective view of FIG. 95, the FPC unitfor AF 738 on which the AF unit 736 is mounted is attached to the cameramain body unit 692 on which the FPC unit for the control circuit 720 ismounted. In this case, the portion of the AF unit 736 is fixed to thepredetermined position in the upper part of the camera main body 700,and the boss portion 722 c of the 700 in which the contact patternportion 722 c of the FPC substrate 722 is inserted and the positioningpin 722 d are inserted through the boss hole 740 a and positioning pinhole 740 b of the FPC substrate 740. The method further comprises:attaching a rubber seat 742 and washer 744 to a screw 734; allowing thescrew to mesh with a thread portion of the boss portion 700 c; andfixing the FPC substrate 722 to the FPC substrate 740 in a tightenedstate.

Then, an upward projecting portion (the portion of the second region) ofthe FPC substrate 722 of the FPC unit for the control circuit 720 in themain body is bent together with the tinned wire 728 along the bend line722 i in a P direction on the camera main body 700 side. In this state,the FPC substrate 722 extends along the upper-surface portion of thecamera main body 700 (see FIG. 92).

That is, when the tinned wire 728 is bent and plastically deformed, andthe plastically deformed state is held, the bent state of the secondregion of the FPC unit for the control circuit 720 is held. It is to benoted that in the bent/shaped state, as described in the structure ofthe modification example in which the bend direction is reversed withrespect to the FPC unit 650 of the 22nd embodiment, the bent portion ofthe tinned wire 728 escapes in the relief hole 722 h and therefore slackis not generated in the FPC substrate 722.

The camera main body unit 692 to which the FPC unit for the controlcircuit 720 and the AF unit including the FPC unit for AF 738 areattached indicates an completely assembled state of the unit. In thisstate, the contact pattern portion 722 c of the FPC unit for the controlcircuit 720 is electrically connected to the contact pattern portion 740c of the FPC unit for AF 738, and an operation can be confirmed in thestate.

Subsequently, the method comprises: attaching the front cover 694 andrear cover 696 to the camera main body unit 692 on the front-surfaceside and rear-surface side; and fixing the covers by the screws, so thatthe camera 690 is completed.

According to the structure of the camera 690 of the 22nd embodiment,with respect to the camera main body unit 692 before attaching the frontcover 694 and rear cover 696 to the camera main body unit 692, the FPCunit for the control circuit 720 and the FPC unit for AF 738 areattached. In this state, the FPC substrates 722 and 740 are held withoutvibrating. Therefore, in an operation confirmation operation beforeattaching the front cover 694 and rear cover 696, and further in theattaching operation of the front cover 694 and rear cover 696, the FPCsubstrates 722, 740 are not obstacles, and accidents do not easily occursuch as the FPC substrates caught by the obstacles.

Moreover, the bending/shaping operation of the upper part of the FPCsubstrate 722 along the bend line 722 i is performed while the FPCsubstrate 722 is attached to the camera main body 700. Therefore, thebending operation is easily performed, and the bent portion of the FPCsubstrate 722 is securely bent securely along the camera main body 700.

Furthermore, since the bending/shaping operation of the FPC unit issimple, the FPC unit can be stored or conveyed in a flat-surface stateas such.

Instead of the tinned wire applied to the above-described 22nd to 25thembodiments, a soft copper line material, or electric materials such asa thin plastically deformable metal plate may also be applied. When theline material is not used especially for electric connection, aplastically deformable nonconductive material may also be applied.Alternatively, a plastically deformable metal line material coated withan insulating material may also be applied.

When the surface is set to be nonconductive in this manner, there is nota possibility of contact with the metal line material on the FPC side orthe conductive portion on the FPC or printed wiring substrate. It is tobe noted that the tinned wire may be mounted onto the FPC substrate orthe printed wiring substrate either automatically or manually.

Moreover, the bend angle of the tinned wire at the attaching time of theFPC substrate into the apparatus unit is not limited to right angles,and the wire may plastically be deformed with a predetermined curvaturein accordance with the shapes of the apparatus unit other than theright-angled shape. Furthermore, in the 22nd to 25th embodiments, thetinned wire is fixed so as to cross at right angles to the bend line,but the present invention is not limited to this. The tinned wire mayalso be inclined and fixed to the bend line in a plastically deformablerange in an allowable arrangement.

Furthermore, the mounted state of the tinned wire of the FPC unit 720according to the 25th embodiment is not limited to the state shown inFIG. 93. In accordance with the shape of the camera main body unit, itis also possible to select and employ the mounted shape of the tinnedwire shown in the FPC unit according to the 22nd to 25th embodiments.

Additionally, the present invention can variously be modified withoutdeparting from the scope of the present invention.

Additional advantages and modifications will readily occur to thoseskilled in the art. Therefore, the invention in its broader aspects isnot limited to the specific details and representative embodiments shownand described herein. Accordingly, various modifications may be madewithout departing from the spirit or scope of the general inventionconcept as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

1. A camera comprising: a camera exterior housing which forms an outerappearance of the camera; a first capacitor; and a second capacitorhaving a longitudinal direction which is substantially parallel to alongitudinal direction of the first capacitor; wherein the cameraexterior housing includes an inclined surface, and a first end surfaceof the first capacitor and a first end surface of the second capacitorare disposed along an inner wall of the inclined surface so as to form astep.
 2. The camera according to claim 1, wherein the first capacitorand the second capacitor have different lengths along the longitudinaldirections thereof.
 3. The camera according to claim 1, wherein a secondend surface of the first capacitor and a second end surface of thesecond capacitor are in substantially a same plane.
 4. The cameraaccording to claim 1, wherein the first capacitor and the secondcapacitor are electrically connected via a printed surface.
 5. Thecamera according to claim 1, wherein the first capacitor and the secondcapacitor are electrically connected via a flexible printed substrateplaced along the inner wall of the exterior housing.
 6. The cameraaccording to claim 1, further comprising a printed substrate connectedto a second end surface of the first capacitor and a second end surfaceof the second capacitor so as to electrically connect the firstcapacitor and the second capacitor.
 7. The camera according to claim 3,further comprising: a plurality of first lead terminals formed on thesecond end surface of the first capacitor and arranged in apredetermined direction; a plurality of second lead terminals formed onthe first end surface of the second capacitor and arranged in thepredetermined direction; wherein the predetermined direction issubstantially normal to the longitudinal directions of the first andsecond capacitors.
 8. The camera according to claim 7, wherein the firstcapacitor and the second capacitor are electrically connected by aprinted substrate via the plurality of first and second lead terminals.9. The camera according to claim 8, wherein the plurality of first andsecond lead terminals are arranged such that lead terminals to beconnected to each other respectively face each other across the printedsubstrate.
 10. The camera according to claim 8, wherein the firstcapacitor and the second capacitor are electrically connected inparallel.
 11. The camera according to claim 7, wherein the firstcapacitor and the second capacitor are electrically connected by aflexible printed substrate placed along the inner wall of the exteriorhousing, via the plurality of first and second lead terminals.
 12. Thecamera according to claim 7, wherein the plurality of first leadterminals includes at least a first positive lead terminal and a firstnegative lead terminal, and the plurality of second lead terminalsincludes at least a second positive lead terminal and a second negativelead terminal; and wherein the first positive lead terminal and thesecond positive lead terminal are arranged to face each other and thefirst negative lead terminal and the second negative lead terminal arearranged to face each other.
 13. The camera according to claim 12,wherein the first positive lead terminal and the second positive leadterminal are electrically connected, and the first negative leadterminal and the second negative lead terminal are electricallyconnected by a flexible printed substrate placed along the inner wall ofthe exterior housing.
 14. A camera comprising: a camera exterior housingwhich covers the camera; a first electric part; and a second electricpart having a longitudinal direction which is substantially parallel toa longitudinal direction of the first electric part; wherein the cameraexterior housing includes an inclined surface, and a first end surfaceof the first electric part and a first end surface of the secondelectric part are disposed along an inner wall of the inclined surfaceso as to form a step.
 15. The camera according to claim 14, wherein thefirst electric part and the second electric part have different lengthsalong the longitudinal directions thereof.
 16. The camera according toclaim 14, wherein a second end surface of the first electric part and asecond end surface of the second electric part are in substantially asame plane.
 17. The camera according to claim 14, wherein the firstelectric part and the second electric part are electrically connectedvia a printed surface.
 18. The camera according to claim 14, wherein thefirst electric part and the second electric part are electricallyconnected via a flexible printed substrate placed along the inner wallof the exterior housing.
 19. The camera according to claim 14, furthercomprising a printed substrate connected to a second end surface of thefirst electric part and a second end surface of the second electric partso as to electrically connect the first electric part and the secondelectric part.
 20. The camera according to claim 16, further comprising:a plurality of first lead terminals formed on the second end surface ofthe first electric part and arranged in a predetermined direction; aplurality of second lead terminals formed on the first end surface ofthe second electric part and arranged in the predetermined direction;wherein the predetermined direction is substantially normal to thelongitudinal directions of the first and second electric parts.
 21. Thecamera according to claim 20, wherein the first electric part and thesecond electric part are electrically connected by a printed substratevia the plurality of first and second lead terminals.
 22. The cameraaccording to claim 21, wherein the plurality of first and second leadterminals are arranged such that lead terminals to be connected to eachother respectively face each other across the printed substrate.
 23. Thecamera according to claim 20, wherein the first electric part and thesecond electric part are electrically connected by a flexible printedsubstrate placed along the inner wall of the exterior housing, via theplurality of first and second lead terminals.
 24. A camera comprising: afirst electric part; a second electric part having a longitudinaldirection which is substantially parallel to a longitudinal direction ofthe first electric part; a plurality of first lead terminals formed on afirst longitudinal end of the first electric part and arranged in apredetermined direction; a plurality of second lead terminals formed ona first longitudinal end of the second electric part and arranged in thepredetermined direction; wherein the first electric part and the secondelectric part are arranged such that the first ends thereof on which thelead terminals are disposed form a step between the first electric partand the second electric part; and wherein the predetermined direction issubstantially normal to the longitudinal directions of the first andsecond electric parts.
 25. The camera according to claim 24, wherein theplurality of first lead terminals includes at least a first positivelead terminal and a first negative lead terminal, and the plurality ofsecond lead terminals includes at least a second positive lead terminaland a second negative lead terminal; and wherein the first positive leadterminal and the second positive lead terminal are arranged to face eachother and the first negative lead terminal and the second negative leadterminal are arranged to face each other.
 26. The camera according toclaim 24, wherein the first electric part and the second electric partsare electrically connected by a printed substrate via the plurality offirst and second lead terminals.
 27. The camera according to claim 26,wherein the printed substrate comprises a flexible printed substrate,and the flexible printed substrate is arranged along the step betweenthe first electric part and second electric part.
 28. A cameracomprising: a first electric substrate; a second electric substrate; anda connector which is disposed on the first electric substrate and inwhich the second electric substrate is inserted; wherein the connectorcomprises a connector terminal array including a plurality of connectorterminals which are electrically connected to the second electricsubstrate; and wherein the second electric substrate is insertable inthe connector along an arrangement direction of the connector terminalarray.
 29. The camera according to claim 28, wherein the connectorfurther comprises a lock member to fix the second electric substrateinserted into the connector; and wherein the lock member is at least oneof rotatable and slidable to fix the second electric substrate.
 30. Thecamera according to claim 29, wherein the connection terminal isdisposed in the lock member.
 31. The camera according to claim 28,wherein the connector further comprises a groove and a protrusion whichform a guide for inserting the second electric substrate.
 32. The cameraaccording to claim 31, wherein a convex portion is disposed in a tip endof the second electric substrate, and the convex portion is fitted intothe protrusion of the connector when the second electric substrate isfixed.
 33. A connector for connection of a flexible printed substrate,comprising: a connector main body; a connector terminal array providedin the connector main body and including a plurality of connectorterminals which are arranged in a predetermined direction; and a holdingmember which is adapted to switch between a holding position for holdingthe flexible printed substrate and a releasing position for releasingthe flexible printed substrate; wherein the flexible printed substrateis insertable and removable with respect to a first side of theconnector main body in the predetermined direction when the holdingmember is set in the releasing position.
 34. The connector according toclaim 33, further comprising a press portion provided on the holdingmember and positioned such that the press portion faces the connectorterminal when the holding member is set in the holding position.
 35. Theconnector according to claim 33, further comprising a positioningportion provided at a second side of the connector main body in thepredetermined direction and configured to determine a position of theflexible printed substrate in the predetermined direction.
 36. Theconnector according to claim 33, further comprising a guide grooveformed along the predetermined direction, wherein the flexible printedsubstrate is insertable and removable along the guide groove.
 37. Theconnector according to claim 33, further comprising a protrusion formedon the first side of the connector main body, wherein the protrusion isadapted to contact the flexible printed substrate so as to direct theflexible printed substrate away from the connector terminal while theflexible printed substrate is being inserted or removed.
 38. Theconnector according to claim 37, wherein the flexible printed substrateis adapted to be positioned at an end surface of the protrusion in thepredetermined direction when the flexible printed substrate is mounted.39. A connector for connection of a flexible printed substrate,comprising: a connector main body; a holding member which is adapted toswitch between a holding position for holding the flexible printedsubstrate and a releasing position for releasing the flexible printedsubstrate; a connector terminal array provided in the holding member andincluding a plurality of connector terminals which are arranged in apredetermined direction; wherein the flexible printed substrate isinsertable and removable with respect to a first side of the connectormain body in the predetermined direction when the holding member is setin the releasing position.
 40. The connector according to claim 39,further comprising a press portion provided on the holding member andpositioned such that the press portion faces the connector terminal whenthe holding member is set in the holding position.
 41. The connectoraccording to claim 39, further comprising a positioning portion providedat a second side of the connector main body in the predetermineddirection and configured to determine a position of the flexible printedsubstrate in the predetermined direction.
 42. The connector according toclaim 39, further comprising a guide groove formed along thepredetermined direction, wherein the flexible printed substrate isinsertable and removable along the guide groove.